Giovanni Antonio Guardi, also known as Gianantonio Guardi, was an Italian painter born in Vienna on May 27, 1699, and who died in Venice on January 22, 1760. A painter of the Rococo period, he was a founding member of the Venetian Academy, established in 1750 and officially recognized in 1756. He was the son of painter Domenico Guardi and the elder brother of Francesco Guardi.
Guardi's oeuvre encompassed a diverse range of subjects, including portraits, capriccios, landscapes, and religious compositions. He also executed cityscapes, known as vedute, and Oriental scenes, such as "Interior: A Sultana taking Coffee in the Harem." His work also included still lifes and religious depictions like "Sketch of Joseph Holding the Christ Child."
