Mackie spent a great deal of his time in France and Italy, the spectacular summers enjoyed by both locations allowing him to exploit his highly developed sensitivity to colour. This view from the open-air terrace of a Venetian café show him experimenting with the colour effect produced by the mixture of artificial light and the fading daylight of early evening. In the foreground, the tables beneath the awning are lit by a mixture of natural light and lamplight. In the distance, the view of Venice and the Grand Canal with ships, gondolas, twinkling lights and the dusky evening sky are reflect in the water beyond the café balustrade. This painting was exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy in 1911.