Italian Sketchbook: Gondola (page 35)

In this pencil sketch from his Italian travels, Maurice Prendergast captures a gondola with loose, gestural linework characteristic of his exploratory drawing style. The work demonstrates his interest in quickly recording the essential forms and movement of Venetian life rather than rendering precise architectural or representational detail. As a page from his sketchbook, it reflects Prendergast's practice of using drawing as a means of visual investigation and artistic development during his formative time abroad.