The Jester Venetian Carnival | Carnival Paintings of Venice – Alan Reed
The Venetian Carnival
The Jester Venice Painting is an example of the spectacle of colour, costume and characters from Venice’s past. I’ve witnessed it on several occasions and sketched the almost theatre like activity.
“The Jester” posed for me at the end of a gondola jetty in the cold wintery Venetian fog.
This original painting and other Paintings of Venice is also available as a limited edition print.
The Venetian Carnival is an occasion of colour and spectacle held during the month of February. It starts 40 days before Easter and ends on shrove Tuesday. Decorative masks and costumes are very much part of Carnevale Venezia and a prize is awarded for the best mask. Susan and I have been three times during the Carnival. I have loved painting the costumed figures set against the backdrop of the Venetian architecture. The Jester Venice painting is one of my favourites.
Gondolas Venice
The weather at carnival time in Venice is usually sunny, however it can be very misty and extremely cold, often below freezing. Somehow this adds to the drama and theatre of the occasion. For this particular watercolour of The Jester Painting Venice I noticed a costumed figure dressed as a Jester, posing on a jetty. I was able to take some photographs with him standing under the lamp. I’ve often painted gondolas which are fascinating vessels to paint. Using some of my other reference material of paintings of Venice, I added in the gondola to give extra depth and interest to the composition.
Painting Venice
Although I’ve been blessed to paint some amazing places from around the world, Venice remains one of my favourite cities. The crowds can be frustrating and some of the restaurants are overpriced for what you get. However, it is so different from any other place and it is so paintable. The key to successful painting in Venice is to get up early before the crowds, or paint later on when they have gone. Or, try and find a quieter spot away from the main tourist attractions where you can find yourself in peace and quiet.
Jester is now available as a limited edition print with only 25 copies in the addition.
To enquire about this original painting please contact
