Somerset Maugham

“There are few things in life more pleasant than to sit on the terrace of the Gritti when the sun about to set bathes in lovely colour the Salute, which almost faces you.”

Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) was an English novelist, playwright, and master of the short story, admired for his clear, unadorned style, cosmopolitan settings, and a shrewd understanding of human nature. His characters move through desire, restraint, and self-deception with an almost clinical clarity—elegant on the surface, restless underneath. Major works include Of Human Bondage, The Moon and Sixpence, and The Razor’s Edge.

Venice fits Maugham’s sensibility perfectly: a city where beauty is immediate, but meanings stay just out of reach—filtered through water, weather, and time. He is often linked with The Gritti Palace and its terrace views over the Grand Canal toward Santa Maria della Salute, a setting he praised as one of life’s quiet pleasures.