The watercolour view of Chioggia, an island to the south of Venice between the lagoon and the open sea, probably dates from the 1950s when, attracted by the extraordinary quality of light, Seago made frequent visits to the area. In December 1966 he wrote to Queen Elizabeth offering her a Venetian scene as a Christmas present: ‘I wondered if at this time of year, in grey London, you might like to look at sunlit Venice – not a usual view, but something bright and cheerful…’