New Venice retrospective to launch at National Gallery

The early part of the 18th century saw a demand from mainly aristocratic English travellers for Venetian view paintings.

Some of the most famous landmarks of the city were immortalised including the Grand Canal, the Piazza San Marco, the Rialto, the Molo, Santa Maria della Salute and the Lagoon.

The most renowned artist within the genre was Giovanni Antonio Canal, known as Canaletto (1697–1768) who offered a workshop which was considered the finest training a painter of the time could receive. Among those to receive the training was his nephew Bellotto, who also became an accomplished artist.

“Venice: Canaletto and His Rivals” is the first exhibition of its kind since 1967 in Venice, and will include works collected from around Europe and North America.

There will be major works from Canaletto and his rivals of the time, including Luca Carlevarijs, Michele Marieschi, Bernardo Bellotto and Francesco Guardi.

A new exhibition at the National Gallery features some of Canaletto’s greatest masterpieces, including 'The Riva degli Schiavoni, looking West', about 1735, The Stonemason’s Yard, about 1725, and four of his finest works from the Royal Collection.

Favoured by English collectors, he visited the country repeatedly between 1746-56, where he painted works including 'Eton College'.

"Antonio Canale....astounds everyone in this city who sees his work, which is like that of Carlevarijs, but you can see the sun shining in it." (Alessandro Marchesini, painter and adviser to collectors, July 1725)

The exhibition will open on 13 October at The National Gallery, London and run till mid-January.