Venice - Painting/drawing? or print?

Perhaps a charcoal w watercolor? I can't detect any dot pattern with my loupe. It's behind some type of very non reflective museum glass - which is great - but makes it hard to really see what type of work it is. The back has a thick black cardboard backing which is tacked on well and I don't really want to remove. The sticker from the framer(northern virginia) is on the back (I've searched online, can't find them - think they've long since closed up shop). The frame itself isn't terribly old.

I know there are boatloads of drawings of Venice out there - but this seemed to be a bit of a different perspective - and I liked how the artist portrayed the light, and the subtle colors.

Also - can anyone make heads tails of the signature beyond "H ' 48" which is what I think it says? (maybe 78?)

It's 16"x24".

Your time and help is very appreciated!

~

 

If you don't see a dot pattern, it probably is an original. It does have an ethereal quality about it. The artist deliberately skewed the perspective of the buildings in the back right.

I think you're right. There is a wash under the other medium. Not sure if it's charcoal. It could be conte crayon or a pastel stick. Conte sticks and some pastels are square and you can use the edge to create nice straight marks (with a quick swipe that feathers out) like I see here in spots. Conte doesn't smear quite as easily as charcoal. Those can be messy.

I guess I don't see a "48" If it's a number, I'd lean toward 46, but it looks like initials, or a very short last name.

 

I'd have said pastels as well. It's very reminiscent of some post WW2 styles here.

 

reminds me of Jacques Despierre

 

Totally, totally in agreement with Fid -- I'm coming at it from the perspective that this person was heavily influenced by the Cubists. In particular, the subdued palette of the analytic cubists.

I think the first part of the sig is a monogram (either jh or th) and I think the second part is a date (I see 46 or 76). edit: and would not be be a bit surprised if I was proven wrong on both sig and "date".

 

Very nice, Aaron. Another vote for pastels.
To me it looks more open and free (if that makes sense) than Jacques Despierre's work, but I can see how it reminds Fid and Jivvy of it.