The Entry of the French Ambassador into Venice in 1706

Unknown artist

Large-scale painted views of Venice were very popular among tourists and collectors throughout the 18th century. In this early example of the genre, the city’s buildings provide the backdrop for an important event, the ceremonial entry of the French ambassador, Henri-Charles Arnauld de Pomponne. His elaborately decorated gondolas are being moored along the quay before the Doge’s Palace.