Having graduated from the Royal College of Art in 1958,
Howard ventured to Italy where he travelled from region to region, painting
Tuscan landscapes, Florentine architecture, and developing a life-long
fascination for Venice. In his primary visits to the city, Howard predominantly
painted with watercolour, shifting to oil much later. He frequently painted the
same views – scenes of San Marco and boats along the Riva degli Schiavoni, as
well as The Giudecca – but with variations in light, weather and season, reflecting
his enduring interest in the city.

The palette of the work may suggest influence of J.W.M Turner.
Turner had produced a vast collection of Venice scenes, and his construction of
ethereal light, aerial perspective and use of mid-tones certainly is received
in this work. Additionally, describing himself as “the last Impressionist,”
Howard draws from the Venice scenes by Claude Monet, in which colour, light and
form harmonise to bathe the composition in a misty haze.