Focus Assessment 1

John Singer Sargent. Rio de Santa Maria Formosa, Venice. 1905. Watercolor over graphite and pen and ink on
wove paper. 13 13/16” X 19 3/8”.
Pg. 117

Introduce the title, artist, time created, location and the medium of your chosen artwork.

This information is listed under the image.

This artwork is titled Rio de Santa Maria Formosa, Venice. The artist is John Singer

Sargent. He created this artwork in 1905 with the mediums of watercolor over graphite and pen

and ink on wove paper. The measurements of the artwork are 13 13/16” X 19 3/8”. This artwork

can be located in the Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence.
 Focus Assessment 1

What are three elements of art in your chosen artwork and how are they used?

Three elements of art in Singer’s work are shape, space, and motion. One element of art

in this artwork is shape. There are some geometric shapes in this painting, such as the semi-circle

of the bridge and the triangle shape of the large gondola. There are also some organic shapes in

this painting, such as the boats on the right side and the object protruding out of the boat. The

use of both geometric and organic shapes truly makes the painting look realistic. A second

element of art that Sargent used is space through implied depth. The artist makes the gondola

directly in the center of the painting large and the other boats small to give a sense of distance.

Lastly, the artist uses implied motion to give the painting a lifelike feeling. There is implied

motion in the water; it looks like the wind is causing the river to create ripples.

What are three principles of design in your chosen artwork and how are they used?

Three principles of design in Rio de Santa Maria Formosa, Venice are balance, repetition

and rhythm, and emphasis. This painting has asymmetrical balance, in which the left and right

sides are not equal. Because there is a large gondola in the center left of the painting, there

needed to be small forms on the right side to balance it out. Another principle of design used in

this painting is repetition and rhythm. There is repetition in the blue and crème colors throughout

the painting, as well as the semi-circles of the bridges, and the rectangles of the windows. There

is rhythm in the boats because they look as if they are moving, and because they are recurring

with variations. Not every boat looks the same. A third principle of design that Sargent uses is

emphasis. The large gondola is the focal point of the artwork, mainly due to its size, position,

and detail.
 Focus Assessment 1

Evaluate your chosen artwork based on one of the Art criticism theories. Be sure to identify

the criticism theory you are using.

Expressive theories pay attention to the artist’s worldview. To evaluate this artwork, I

paid particular attention to the composition of the painting. The details included in and the date

of the painting made me realize that Sargent had to have spent time in Venice. The painting is

very realistic without any apparent social cause. Therefore, I think Sargent created this

watercolor simply for delight and self-expression. To me, this piece of art is incredibly beautiful.

I have been to Venice, and seeing this picture makes me feel like I am sitting on a gondola while

a gentle breeze blows through the narrow streets.