PIAZZA SAN MARCO, 2026

Fabrice Mangin  

“Piazza San Marco" is a celebration of Venetian mystery and elegance, where the art of the mask becomes the mirror of a baroque, secret, and sensual soul. On a canvas, the artist pays homage to Venice, city of veil and light, by recreating an atmosphere both theatrical and timeless.
Between architectural reliefs and the brilliance of metal, this work evokes the great masquerade of time, where each concealed face becomes a character, and each texture an emotion.

The support, worked in depth on a base of canvas and cardboard, creates a textured surface of grooves and imprints that recall ancient walls, patinated by lagoon humidity and the passage of centuries. The dark tones—blacks, deep browns, and patinated golds—mix with subtle metallic reflections, lending the composition an air of refined decadence.

In the center, a genuine Venetian mask, an authentic piece, adorned with gilding, feathers, and ribbons, becomes the beating heart of the work. It is not a simple decorative element: it embodies the symbolic and historical dimension of Venice. Its golden curves capture the light brilliantly, while the matte texture of the canvas absorbs the shadow, creating this delicate play of chiaroscuro specific to the city of the Doges. The delicate addition of a cameo brooch and black feathers reinforces the idea of an almost aristocratic refinement—a sober and controlled sensuality.

The title “Piazza San Marco", placed on the canvas, acts as a narrative signature: the work becomes a scene, a moment suspended between baroque and modernity, between memory and spectacle.
It invites both contemplation and imagination, like an open window onto a nocturnal Venice, silent, only disturbed by the rustling of an eternal carnival.
Unique large format work (80 × 80 cm): sculptural and elegant presence, perfect for a refined interior or a contemporary collection.
Mastered mixed technique: canvas, cardboard reliefs, acrylic paint, and a genuine Venetian mask—a rare alliance between painting, sculpture, and art craftsmanship.
Noble and authentic materials: the mask, adorned with genuine gilding and feathers, lends the work an aura of authenticity and distinction.
Visual and symbolic power: representation of the Venetian duality—beauty and mystery, luxury and silence, tradition and modernity.
Sophisticated textural work: the imprints of the cardboard and the variations in texture give relief and depth, evoking the facades of the Serenissima and the patina of time.
Collection piece: a unique work of contemporary art combining mystery, material, and elegance, fitting in as well in a modern as in an intimate space.
“Piazza San Marco" — a tribute to eternal Venice, between shadow and splendor.
A work where history and the present meet under the gilding of a mask, in a dialogue between material, memory, and light.
Original signed work—canvas and cardboard, authentic Venetian mask, acrylic and gold