The Royal Collection has one of the largest and finest collections of Venetian art from the first half of the eighteenth century. It includes paintings, prints and drawings by Canaletto himself, as well as those of his contemporaries, such as Sebastiano and Marco Ricci, Antonio Visentini, Francesco Zuccarelli and Giovanni Battista Piazzetta. These artists were patronised by Consul Smith and their works were later purchased by George III. This lavishly illustrated catalogue marks the first time that the rich holdings of eighteenth-century Venetian art in the Royal Collection will have been brought together, and focuses on presenting these extraordinary works against the background of the social and artistic networks of the period. Whilst displaying and analysing the brilliant works of Canaletto himself, including his cityscapes, capriccios and paintings of architecture, this catalogue also discusses the intimate interior of Venetian life, explores the links between artists and the theatre in Venice at this time and looks at Venice as a centre for printmaking and book production.

Famous series of paintings reproduced in contemporary engravings by Visentini. Wonderful view of 18th-century Venice; thorough text by J. Links. 50 illustrations.

In 1761, Bernardo Bellotto painted his famous panorama of Munich, signing the painting "Canaletto"--as he signed many of his paintings--in tribute to his uncle and teacher Giovanni Antonio Canal. In addition to the famous panorama, Bellotto completed over the course of several months two stunning palace views for the Duke of Bavaria, Maximilian III Joseph. Placing Bellotto's Munich paintings within the artist's broader body of work, this well-illustrated book highlights the Italian painter and printmaker's capacity to create paintings of European cities that are both remarkably realistic and compositionally idealistic. Depicting Dresden, Vienna, Turin, and Warsaw, the paintings demonstrate an elaborate attention to architectural and natural detail and a sophisticated understanding of the specific quality of light in each place. By juxtaposing the paintings with Bellotto's preparatory sketches, the book also sheds light on his complicated process, which is thought to have included the use of the popular optical aid of that time, the camera obscura. Rounding out the book is a contemporary artistic reevaluation of the paintings through the medium of photography. Bringing together many well-known works by the Venetian vedute with a trove of paintings rarely seen, including a series of highly idealized architectural depictions, the book illustrates his critical contribution to this important European tradition.

Born to a designer and painter of stage settings in 1697, Canaletto followed in his father’s path and trained as a theatrical scene painter. He soon left the theater behind and became a vedutista—a view painter. Venetians will remain forever grateful for his decision to change the direction of his artistic career. With brush and palette, he created a glittering vision of Venice that continues to define the splendor of that sun-drenched city of islands and lagoons. Anyone who views his paintings and drawings will always associate him with Venice—La Serenissima—for Venice and Canaletto are one.

Canaletto began his career as a theatrical scene painter, like his father, in the Baroque tradition. Influenced by Giovanni Panini, he is specialised in vedute (views) of Venice, his birth place. Strong contrast between light and shadow is typical of this artist. Furthermore, if some of those views are purely topographical, others include festivals or ceremonial subjects. He also published, thanks to John Smith, his agent, a series of etchings of Cappricci. His main purchasers were British aristocracy because his views reminded them of their Grand Tour. In his paintings geometrical perspective and colours are structuring. Canaletto spent ten years in England. John Smith sold Canaletto’s works to George III, creating the major part of the Royal Canaletto Collection. His greatest works influenced landscape painting in the nineteenth century.