To the Caffetteria – Capuccino’s Time, Venice Zattere

Herman A. Webster, To the Caffetteria--Capuccino's Time, Venice Zattere, 1935, carbon pencil on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Moune G. H. Webster, 1973.124.21
Copied Herman A. Webster, To the Caffetteria--Capuccino's Time, Venice Zattere, 1935, carbon pencil on paper, sheet and image: 5 14 × 7 in. (13.3 × 17.8 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Moune G. H. Webster, 1973.124.21

Artwork Details

Title
To the Caffetteria – Capuccino’s Time, Venice Zattere
Date
1935
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
sheet and image: 5 14 × 7 in. (13.3 × 17.8 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Moune G. H. Webster
Mediums
Mediums Description
carbon pencil on paper
Classifications
Keywords
  • Figure group
  • Italian
  • Recreation — leisure — eating and drinking
  • Architecture Interior — commercial — tavern
Object Number
1973.124.21

Artwork Description

Cafés and bars were key gathering places for Americans in Venice, Rome, Paris, and other European cultural capitals. In addition to the fashionable venues around St. Mark's Square, including Caffè Florian and Caffè Quadri, many artists and writers frequented Caffè La Calcina on the Zattere embankment, likely the site of this informal sketch. Over coffee or wine, artists might trade gossip, compare works, befriend potential clients, or organize joint ventures, such as hiring a model or making a day trip to outer lagoon islands. Herman Webster's drawings from Venice include detailed studies of palaces and churches as well as casual sketches with glimpses of his daily life.

Sargent, Whistler, and Venetian Glass: American Artists and the Magic of Murano, 2021.