Franz Richard Unterberger (Austrian, 1837-1902) Santa Maria della Salute from the Grand Canal Oil on canvas 32-3/8 x 27-3/8 inches (82.2 x 69.5 cm) Signed lower left: F.R. Unterberger Property from the Estate of Kenneth Alan Hill, Sr., Fort Worth, Texas PROVENANCE: Private collection, Spain, acquired circa 1920; Thence by descent; Private collection, Mexico; Sotheby's, New York, May 9, 2014, lot 12; Vallejo Gallery, Newport Beach, California; Acquired by the present owner from the above, 2020. In this work, Franz Richard Unterberger presents a sweeping view of the Grand Canal, dominated by Santa Maria della Salute, one of the city's most celebrated buildings. The church, designed by Baldassare Longhena, was consecrated in 1687 and was erected in thanks to the Virgin Mary for ending a gruesome outbreak of the plague. Unterberger's composition emphasizes the church's great dome and its ominance on the Venetian skyline. The massive building is framed on either side by the abbey of San Gregorio and the Patriarchal Seminary. In front of the church is the Grand Canal, animated by numerous gondolas and elegantly dressed figures. Spectacular light, with radiating splashes of pink tones in the sky cast a bright illumination over a serene Venetian afternoon on the Grand Canal. We would like to thank Dr. Sybille Karin Moser-Ernst for kindly confirming the authenticity of this lot, which is accompanied by her letter. HID03101062020 © 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved