This early, rare etching of Venice was done on-site in 1883 while Pennell was working in Italy. At this point, he had no press and took the prints to a professional printer while he oversaw the proving. There were only proofs done for many of the prints from this period and they were never formally editioned.
Pennell did a number of prints in Venice, often visiting locations that his friend and fellow American James Abbott McNeill Whistler had used as inspiration. Pennell later became one of Whistler's biographers.
This lightly sketched etching depicts the famous Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto) in Venice, the oldest of four bridges that span the Grand Canal, originally built in the 12th century. The focus of the etching is the shadowed area beneath the arch of the bridge, the surrounding scene is sketched in, the buildings, the activity of the gondolas on the river, and the people on the streets are indicated but left for the viewer to complete.
Pennell had a great admiration of the etching of both Rembrandt and Whistler and the spontaneity and the wiping of this impression reflect his knowledge of their techniques. This print is extremely RARE!