Justin Holland was an important African American figure in the national anti-slavery movement as well as being a significant figure in guitar composition and methodology. As a composer, he synthesized European models and embraced popular, church, and parlor songs, generating a rich variety of works. A master of virtuosic variations, his arrangements are witty, elegant, and colorful, culminating in Carnival of Venice, which shows the full range of his gifts, sweeping in breadth and dazzling in effect.