Watermark: An Essay on Venice by Joseph Brodsky
Venice is a city which inspires extreme reactions; Georg Simmel, in his book I reviewed here, claimed that “Venice possess the ambiguous beauty of adventure, floating rootlessly through life, like a torn flower borne on the sea.” Russian poet Joseph Brodsky is equally entranced, as I’ll discuss in this post. However, I’m following that read with a counter-voice which comes from French intellectual and activist Regis Debray – more of that in a future post. Certainly, it’s a city that’s unique…
Brodsky’s book was first published in 1992, and the lovely Penguin Modern Classic edition caught my eye during my recent Waterstones Wobble. I already own a collection of Brodsky’s essays, also in the Penguin, but a quick flick convinced me this would be interesting. Brodsky himself was a fascinating character; born in Leningrad (as St. Petersburg was known at the time) in 1940, he and his family survived the siege, although it had a lasting effect on his health. Because of their Jewish background, the Brodskys were often on the receiving end pf anti-Semitism, causing Joseph to feel like a dissident from an early age. He began writing poetry from an early age and eventually was mentored by no less than Akhmatova. However, he fell foul of the Soviet authorities, eventually being expelled in 1972 and after a little wandering, ended up in the United States where he lived and taught until his death in 1996. That sense of dislocation, of being peripatetic, certainly comes through in this essay, which I found quite mesmerising. And what’s not to love about a book that opens with these words:
Many moons ago the dollar was 870 lire and I was thirty-two. The globe, too, was lighter by two billion souls, and the bar at the Stazione where I’d arrived on that cold December night was empty. I was standing there waiting for the only person I knew in that city to meet me. She was quite late.
“Watermark” is subtitled an essay, but that’s perhaps a little misleading as it certainly isn’t structured in a traditional way. Instead, Brodsky ranges very far and wide, taking in his memories, his experiences of Venice, his reactions to its climate, its architecture, its very soul. The result is a wonderfully impressionistic sketch of a city which in many ways defies definition. He discusses books set in Venice that were pivotal in his reading life; and objects from his past which drew him to the place. An encounter with Ezra Pound’s mistress, Olga Rudge, is entertaining and yet disturbing. One piece which resonated was his description of the flooding of Venice, an event that takes place on a regular basis; I recall my last boss telling me of her visit to Venice when the city was overtaken by water, and her experience of walking around in waders and the stench…
But crucially there are musings on beauty, where it exists and how our eye finds it. That element of vision, and the visual, is crucial to Brodsky’s reading of Venice; it’s a place of reflections, both from multiple mirrors and the water itself, and the book is bursting with aquatic and seafaring language and imagery. Of course, Brodsky’s language is beautiful (as befits a poet) if sometimes a little oblique, and full of allusion – I’m guessing that some of its unique quality perhaps comes from the fact it’s written in English which was not Brodsky’s first tongue, and certainly there’s almost an air of Nabokov in there at times. As you can see from the sheaf of post-its in the picture above, I could have pulled out all manner of quotes but in the end I think you need to read the whole work in one go.

Via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=466108)
In “Watermark” Venice comes across as very much a mixture of decay and artifice, a city which attracts some and repels others. It’s a place with canals instead of roads, all glitter and surface, full of facades and although the falsity can be off-putting for some, Brodsky is seduced. Venice cast its spell so strongly over him that he returned annually over a period of 17 years; I wondered if perhaps something about the city was more appealing to an exile, a city suited to someone transient, an observer. Additionally, the constant recurrence of the aquatic motifs left me thinking that Brodsky might have been drawn to the place because of its similarity to Petersburg, another city constructed on land reclaimed from the sea.
In the end, Brodsky’s take on Venice is a very individual one, more of a prose poem than an essay, an extended meditation that is as much about his life, his loves and his thoughts as it is about Venice. It’s a fascinating and absorbing piece which creates a haunting effect which lingers in the mind; and it does seem that Venice left a watermark on Joseph Brodsky’s soul.
Mar 29, 2019 @ 07:02:31
This really sounds interesting, Karen. Wobble on, I say. Such incidental excursions can reap rewards. 😉
Mar 29, 2019 @ 10:07:06
LOL! I do love a random Book Wobble – browsing a bricks and mortar shop really can throw up some wonderful finds and this was a book I wasn’t even aware of! 😀
Mar 29, 2019 @ 07:24:53
Sounds wonderful. Oddly enough, I’ve never actually been to Venice in spite of visiting Italy several times. Something to rectify one day. I can imagine this being a lovely companion…
Mar 29, 2019 @ 10:04:55
It certainly would inform any visit and despite my possible reservations Venice would be a lovely place to experience one day (although not in the flooding season I think…)
Mar 29, 2019 @ 07:27:41
I’m reading your post in Venice, so Brodsky’s words have a particularly apt resonance- Marías is also good on the city in an impressionist way. Only been here 1 night, but so far it’s fascinating. Must read this one when I get back. Keeping clear of small red-coated figures beckoning up narrow alleyways
Mar 29, 2019 @ 10:02:34
Oh yes, how apt! I’m sure the place is fascinating and I think you’d get even more from the book having visited. Mr. Kaggsy would agree with you about red-coated figures – one of his favourite films!
Mar 29, 2019 @ 07:53:04
Crowds of people and so many of them smoking in those narrow calles can ruin Venice, I know. But we found (in autumn) that many of them go elsewhere once the weekend is over and then it is lovely. The silence is wonderful:) No motor vehicles!
And the art works in St Mark’s were sublime…
Oh yes, #TravelTip learn some Italian. If you ask for a table in Italian, they don’t put you in with the rest of the tourists and the food will be better.
Mar 29, 2019 @ 09:58:13
I think I would definitely be drawn to visiting off-season if I ever went to Venice – I like to avoid the hordes! And the silence and the appeal of no cars is a bonus…!
Mar 29, 2019 @ 10:59:25
This sounds fascinating, Karen! I’ve not read Brodsky yet – somehow, I find him intimidating. I am tempted to look for this book now, or at least a collection of his essays. I will see what I can find. 🙂
Mar 29, 2019 @ 11:24:16
I know what you mean about Brodsky – although I’m keen to read the book of essays I have, I did wonder if I would be slightly out of my depth. But I feel a little more confident now and definitely was to explore his work more! 😀
Mar 29, 2019 @ 11:18:34
What a cracking opening paragraph! It reads like fiction.
Mar 29, 2019 @ 11:23:28
It really does, doesn’t it? It was reading this that made me pick up the book, and his language is really lovely throughout. Unusual at times, so that I had go back and read twice, but as I said that may be because of English not being his original language.
Mar 29, 2019 @ 12:28:10
This sounds wonderful, Brodsky is a name I am only vaguely familiar with, probably I heard of him from you. I can see how his own early life would inspire his writing and view of the world. I hsvd never visited Venice though I would like to.
Mar 29, 2019 @ 13:55:58
Well, I may have mentioned him before! 😀 I’ve never strongly wanted to visit the city (Moscow, St. Petersburg or Paris would have first dibs) but I confess this makes Venice sound very seductive… 😀
Mar 29, 2019 @ 12:45:49
Brodsky’s book sounds like it’s more about surface, what the place looks like because of where and how it’s positioned, than any inner life. And that position is being washed away.
Mar 29, 2019 @ 13:54:38
Yeah, I guess it is, but the argument could be made that Venice actually *is* all surface. He does say at one point in effect that in all his years making trips to the place he’s never felt more than a visitor. It’s a very thought-provoking work.
Mar 29, 2019 @ 15:16:16
Brodsky is buried in Venice as well.
Mar 29, 2019 @ 15:31:43
Wow, I didn’t know that. Venice really *did* get under his skin and into his heart…
Mar 29, 2019 @ 17:50:25
This does sound interesting – you are an education! I have been to Venice and loved the ‘otherness’ of it, I’d love to go again after reading this and visit his grave and how interesting to be reading a book written in a second language. I feel a trip to Waterstones coming on!
Mar 29, 2019 @ 20:54:52
Happy to oblige! And yes – that ‘otherness’ you mention certainly comes across here. His language is very individual, yet I was reminded as I said of Nabokov who was also writing in a second language too. Happy hunting…. 😉
Mar 29, 2019 @ 19:17:05
This sounds fascinating, although I’ve never been to Venice. You’re whole post makes me want to consider this, I absolutely loved that quote you gave from the start.
Mar 29, 2019 @ 20:53:41
That quote *is* just amazing – really sucks you in. I’ve honestly never thought of going to Venice, but I’m starting to see the appeal…
Mar 29, 2019 @ 21:02:03
I’ve only read one piece by Brodsky and remember it as being instructive and interesting and challenging and all that, but not the kind of thing that pulled me back to his work. This sounds very good though. And I second Joe’s enthusiasm for further wobbling.
Mar 30, 2019 @ 06:41:19
His writing can be challenging in places, yes. But certainly here the rewards were worth it. Watermark would probably be a good introduction to his work!
Mar 30, 2019 @ 07:49:19
Oh, am so glad you reviewed this as I bought this book in Waterstones earlier in the week. I’ve been to Venice many times and am always looking for well written pieces about that watery city that might resonate with me.
Mar 30, 2019 @ 08:37:10
😀 It’s one of those books that jumps off the Waterstones table at you, isn’t it? I hope you love it, and I bet you’ll get more out of it that I did as you’ve actually been to Venice!
Mar 30, 2019 @ 09:15:56
Yes, I’ve had a few splurges in Waterstones recently thanks to a brilliant leaving present from my last job: £150 worth of book tokens! I must do a post about my purchases.
As for Venice, I’ve been 4 or 5 times, always in the off season, including a really gorgeous trip for Christmas & New Year in 2015. If you ever get the chance to go it is very much worth it. Such a picturesque part of the world, with great galleries and churches and wine bars, if you are into that sort of thing.
Mar 30, 2019 @ 16:23:45
Now that’s a leaving present I could do with! Yes, do a lovely post so we can have bookish eye-candy!
Venice *does* sound very appealing – especially the galleries and the wine bars! ;D
Apr 01, 2019 @ 06:33:05
Apr 02, 2019 @ 18:34:11
I would love to go to Venice, I’ve been fascinated with the place for years so I’ll definitely add this to the list. Though I’ve recently been reading about how the locals can’t afford to live there anymore as it’s more profitable for landlords to evict tenants and put it all over to Air B&B. I’d love to go, but feel bad for the rapidly-disappearing Venetians.
Apr 02, 2019 @ 19:19:32
Yeah I’m the same – I want to be a tourist but without any other tourists there! 😁 I’d love to visit the Cote D’Azur In Colette’s time before it became what it is now!
Apr 02, 2019 @ 18:56:42
This sounds wonderful. I’ve never been to Venice, I thought I was the only one left so I’m heartened by the comments! I’ve heard January is a good time to go – not too crowded. I’ll definitely be reading this in preparation when I do go.
Apr 02, 2019 @ 19:18:00
No, it seems lots of us have never been there. Definitely it would have to be an off season visit!
Apr 03, 2019 @ 12:59:23
What an opener, that sounds amazing. I’ve never been there either!
Apr 03, 2019 @ 13:27:12
It *is* a wonderful start to a book. And I’m glad I’m not the only one who’s not been to Venice! 😀
Apr 10, 2019 @ 06:35:19
Sex and death in Venice: post 1 - Tredynas Days
Apr 12, 2019 @ 17:06:07
Brodsky and Marías on Venice - Tredynas Days
Apr 15, 2019 @ 17:19:13