Canaletto & the Art of Venice

Photograph taken from Canaletto(book)Author J.G. Link, Phaidon Press Limited, 1999

Yesterday, I found myself at the historic Latchis theater in downtown Brattleboro, VT. I walked down and saw the film titled: Canaletto & the Art of Venice. 

Canaletto(Giovanni Antonio Canal) was not known as a watercolor painter. He did carry out studies in pen, ink and wash, though. However, he was an extraordinary view painter with a skill unlike anyone else in his time. His advanced technical skills and knack for conveying atmospheric qualities make his paintings powerful. He was born in Venice, Italy, on October 28, 1697 and died in Venice, Italy, on April 19, 1768.

He painted urban scenes in Venice, along the canals, which are simply stunning. One observes that these landscapes are devoid of trees except for a rare specimen tree, badly misshapen by the elements and human existence. These paintings were primarily sold to tourists from England as the locals lived this landscape in their everyday lives and most likely could not afford them.

Whether he utilized a camera obscura or not as an aid in laying out the frame work for these paintings does not reduce the value of his work. In preparation for completing these large oil paintings, he filled his sketchbooks with impressive architectural drawings as studies, which some may have been done from the brow of a boat.

Unfortunately, with all his skill, labor and productivity he passed on poorly compensated.