Frank Duveneck was born in Covington, Kentucky in 1848. During his lifetime Duveneck was dubbed by his contemporary, John Singer Sargent, as "the greatest talent of the brush of this generation." This significant reputation has endured and today Duveneck has continued to command a significant reputation. From the mid-1880s, Duveneck began to explore the theme of landscapes and executed light-saturated canvases using the richly colored palette of Impressionism.

Unlike his paintings, Duveneck's etchings are almost wholly architectural views, mainly of Venice. He became interested in etching around 1880 when on his second trip to Venice, and at this time three of his best plates, the two versions of the Riva degli Schiavoni and Laguna Veneta, were produced.