When I found this painting in Florence, it felt like uncovering a story that had been waiting quietly for someone to notice it again. The soft watercolor tones, the loose lines, the way the church almost seems to glow — it all caught my attention before I even turned it over.
On the back, I found its hidden note: a handwritten dedication from 1970, signed by the artist Adriano Zanmarchi, identifying the scene as Chiesa di San Gallo a Venezia. A church that no longer stands. A moment of Venice that has slipped out of the present and now lives mostly in memory, old sketches, and pieces like this.
This small architectural study holds so much history. The warm sienna shadows, the cool touches of blue, the gentle strokes all feel more like the artist is remembering the place than documenting it. It’s intimate and expressive in a way only hand-painted work can be.
The painting sits inside its original vintage shadowbox frame with linen backing and a glass front. It feels like a keepsake — something someone once treasured enough to dedicate by hand.
It’s the kind of piece that brings quiet character to a room.
Not loud, but meaningful.
Not perfect, but full of life and time.
Place it somewhere you’ll pause for a moment when you walk by. It’s a piece meant to be lived with, not just looked at.
DETAILS
Original watercolor painting, signed Adriano Zanmarchi
Dated 1970 with handwritten dedication on reverse
Subject: Chiesa di San Gallo a Venezia — a Venetian church that no longer exists
Displayed in its original vintage shadowbox frame with linen backing and glass front
Sourced in Florence
Condition: gentle age throughout, consistent with a 1970 piece
Dimensions: approx. 10.75” wide × 8” tall × 1.5” deep
Shipping or Local Pickup available
When I found this painting in Florence, it felt like uncovering a story that had been waiting quietly for someone to notice it again. The soft watercolor tones, the loose lines, the way the church almost seems to glow — it all caught my attention before I even turned it over.
On the back, I found its hidden note: a handwritten dedication from 1970, signed by the artist Adriano Zanmarchi, identifying the scene as Chiesa di San Gallo a Venezia. A church that no longer stands. A moment of Venice that has slipped out of the present and now lives mostly in memory, old sketches, and pieces like this.
This small architectural study holds so much history. The warm sienna shadows, the cool touches of blue, the gentle strokes all feel more like the artist is remembering the place than documenting it. It’s intimate and expressive in a way only hand-painted work can be.
The painting sits inside its original vintage shadowbox frame with linen backing and a glass front. It feels like a keepsake — something someone once treasured enough to dedicate by hand.
It’s the kind of piece that brings quiet character to a room.
Not loud, but meaningful.
Not perfect, but full of life and time.
Place it somewhere you’ll pause for a moment when you walk by. It’s a piece meant to be lived with, not just looked at.
DETAILS
Original watercolor painting, signed Adriano Zanmarchi
Dated 1970 with handwritten dedication on reverse
Subject: Chiesa di San Gallo a Venezia — a Venetian church that no longer exists
Displayed in its original vintage shadowbox frame with linen backing and glass front
Sourced in Florence
Condition: gentle age throughout, consistent with a 1970 piece
Dimensions: approx. 10.75” wide × 8” tall × 1.5” deep
Shipping or Local Pickup available
