Palazzo da Mula at Venice

French artist Claude Monet painted this view of a Venetian palazzo in 1908, during what would be his last trip outside France. The canvas shows the Gothic facade of a building rising directly from the canal, rendered almost entirely in tones of topaz, lapis, and sky blue. Brushstrokes remain visible throughout, blending to create a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere.

Monet arrived in Venice hesitant to paint, waiting a full week before starting work. Once he began, he found his rhythm and produced 37 canvases during his stay. He painted the Doge's Palace, Santa Maria della Salute, San Giorgio Maggiore, and several private palazzi along the Grand Canal, including Palazzo Dario, Palazzo Contarini, and this Palazzo da Mula.

After returning to Giverny, Monet continued refining the Venice paintings in his studio, even requesting photographs from London to help with details. He exhibited the series in 1912 at Durand-Ruel's gallery in Paris. The National Gallery of Art in Washington acquired this canvas as part of the Chester Dale Collection, signed and dated lower left "Claude Monet 1908."