Venice Sketchbook

Having lived in Venice for five months, each scene in this book is the actualization of my own memories. I bought one book about Venice and gave it as a gift to my parents who were not there to see the city firsthand, and this book was it. While not a travel guide or an in depth history book, this book does better than many others at capturing the light and true essence of Venice, the Serene Republic.

I bought this book before I visited Venice last year and it proved to be a very effective way - together with my Dorling Kindersley Guide book (also recommended) - of creating a short-list of places to draw. Saved me hours of slogging round trying to find "that view"! The drawings and watercolour sketches are extremely competent (if somewhat stylized) and give lots of inspiration for those working in watercolour of some the ways in which Venice can be portrayed.

A wonderful book for lovers of Venice and for those who would like to look at some of the incredible treasures of this magical, romantic city!

Whether you have traveled to Venice and are already under its magnetic, elusive spell or whether you plan to visit...or even if your fantasy world includes bits of Serenissima, VENICE SKETCHBOOK is bound to please. Artist Fabrice Moireau travels Europe with his sketchpad, rendering quick sketches in watercolor that capture the light and moment as reflected by the architecture of the place. This book is his prolonged visit to Venice and he has visited every island, canal, bridge, and hidden place that make this wonderfully decaying old Queen of the Adriatic a romantic paradise. His sketches are beautifully executed, not always with scholarly perspective, but capturing the Venetian light, an amalgamation of sun, water, fog, and mist, like few others have in this medium. Sensitive hand written notes on each page by the important 'models' make the sketches come even more alive. The book is graced by a fine Introduction by Deborah Howard who teaches architectural history at Cambridge and has written extensively about the architecture of Venice, Veneto, and the Italian Renaissance. In her elegant writing she sets the mood for viewing the sketches with an abundant but concise discussion of the history of Venice. The book is divided into sections of the city and writer Tudy Sammartini, who lives and works in Venice, opens each sector with fascinating comments about the history of the buildings, the churches, the monuments, and all the sights that sector holds. Her background in the history of her beloved Venice enhances the value of this book beyond the simple coffee table picture book. Her writing is warmly readable and very informed. Marry the contributions of these three talented people and the result is a book that is not only visually attractive and lovingly published on 'watercolor paper', but is also an informative and meditative volume of praise for the city known as Serenissima. Grady Harp, January 2005

This book was a gift from a close friend who knows I am planning my first trip to Venice this spring. I have been immersing myself in guides to Venice, and this book, with its charming and skillful watercolors and expert commentary, seems the perfect introduction to this fascinating city. It is not a guidebook per se, more of an artistic appreciation. Many of the comments are in cursive writing, so it seems you are looking at a personal sketchbook with running comments. The watercolors convey the interplay of light and color better than any photographs I've seen. This book is clearly a labor of love.