Regatta on the Grand Canal in Honor of Frederick IV, King of Denmark

The Italian painter Luca Carlevarijs (1663-1730) worked mainly in Venice and is considered a pioneer of the genre of cityscapes. In his works Carlevarijs repeatedly addressed the romantic Venice. The "Regatta on the Grand Canal" is a good example. In this painting, dark clouds partly cover the blue sky over Venice. This creates an ambivalent atmosphere between cheerful spontaneity and sombre mood. The magnificent facades of the houses look strangely dull and lackluster. In contrast, there are the rowing crews on the boats wearing magnificent and colorful dresses. They bring joie de vivre and movement into the picture. This impression is reinforced by the sunlight that hits the teams. The spectators on the left side of the painting are again in the shade, which clearly assigns them a passive role.