Capriccio of a Harbor

Francesco Guardi

National Gallery of Art

This painting depicts a harbor scene with brown arches and towers on the right, along with tall columns that look like ruins. At the bottom of the painting, people are engaged in various activities along the water's edge. Some carry boxes, others tie barrels together, and others converse with each other. Some of the people wear long coats and tricorn hats while others wear turbans and draped shawls over robes. The buildings and ruins, including a tower and a bridge, dominate the right side of the painting, with the tall columns on the far right. On the left is the dark water, painted in shades of brown and blue. Distant ships with white sails can be seen, with smaller boats close to shore. The sky is depicted with expressive, loose brushstrokes in shades of blue, pale peach, and gray.