Giovanni Antonio Canal (1697 - 1768)

Giovanni Antonio Canal, known as Canaletto, was born I Venice on 28th of october1697. He grew up in his family home near the Campo San Lio close to the Rialto Bridge, which later appeared in some of his paintings. He spent much of his time studying architectural splendours of the city and absorbing the challenging atmosphere of Venice and it different guises.
His father, Bernado Canal was theatrical scene-painter; young Canaletto learnt the tricks of the trade from him. Bernardo introduced his son to the world of magical illusion, and gave him a thorough in the rules of perspective, which proved invaluable.
In 1720, Father and son worked together on the scenery for Vivaldi’s opera in Venice and travelled to Rome to help design the set for operas by scarlaratti.it was in Venice he gradually made up his mind to become a view painter, that means to paint landscapes of the city he knew and loved; rather than religious, historical or mythological subjects. He was later referred to as a realist, due to his love for details and especially in his ability to evoke the peculiar light and atmosphere of the city.


As Canaletto’s reputation spreads quickly, in 1725 he met Stephano Conti, a merchant from Lucca, who wanted to add some painting to his collection. Canaletto did four paintings for Conti, which he received 90 sequins the equivalent of about £45- which was a large amount of money. Conti was so pleased. Canaletto’s reputation grew more and his paintings were priced more than his compatriots.

By 1740, Canaletto was very famous, but his fortunes were on the turn. In 1741, the war of the Austrian succession broke out, making travel to European countries difficult, trade diminished and there were fewer tourists and visitors in Venice. Commissions dwindled, and Canaletto himself needed fresh inspiration and new subject matter.


He took a trip to river Brenta, ending in Padua. He stretched the surrounding countryside on the way, and the Venetians country houses, dotted along the riverside. These drawings provided him with material for large-scale paintings, which he executed on his return to Venice.

His father died in 1744, Canaletto’s father died of apoplexy, and in the same month, France declared war on England; where most of his patrons and commissions comes from, he closed his studio and in 1746 he decided to seek work in London, and his reputation preceded him.

Canaletto spent nine years in England where he made a generous amount of money. His paintings while in London include, several views of the Thames and the newly Westminster Bridge for sir Hugh Smithson and so many other patrons. But after his initial success his popularity decreased. His English patrons remembers his more lively and sensitive paintings of the late 1720s and early 1730s and was disappointed with his later works.



In 1756, he returned to Venice for good. Few of his works are known from the last decade. They are mostly small pictures, reworking of his earlier paintings and etchings or well-known engravings. He was said to have sketched in public to attract attention towards the end of his life.

On April 1768, Canaletto died of inflammation of the bladder. He was rumoured to have amassed a fortune during his lifetime, but apart from the property on the Zattere and some paintings in his studio, the only procession he left for his unmarried sisters were his bed and his old clothes.