Follower Of Giovanni Antonio Canal Called Canaletto, 19th Century, View Of Venice

Follower of Giovanni Antonio Canal called Canaletto
19th century

View of Venice with the Basin of San Marco, Doge's Palace and Punta della Dogana
Oil on canvas, cm 49×65
In a gilded wooden frame

The painting depicts one of the most iconic views of Venice: the Basin of San Marco seen from the Riva degli Schiavoni. The composition is constructed according to the classical canons of eighteenth-century Venetian vedutism, with a perfect balance between architecture, water and sky. In the foreground unfolds the lively port activity with gondolas and working boats, among which stands out a characteristic covered boat (burchio).
The human figures, although small in size, animate the scene with everyday gestures, giving vitality to the representation. The right side of the composition is dominated by the majestic Gothic façade of the Doge's Palace, illuminated by a warm golden light that enhances its architectural details: the lower portico with its arcades, the upper loggia and the marble decoration with the characteristic pink and white diamond pattern.
In the background, beyond the turquoise waters of the basin, stands out the silhouette of the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute with its unmistakable dome, the focal point of the perspective view that guides the gaze toward the depth of the scene.

The painting clearly reveals the influence of the great Venetian vedutist tradition of the eighteenth century, particularly that of Giovanni Antonio Canal called Canaletto. The artist demonstrates:

• An accurate perspective rendering of the buildings
• Attention to atmospheric representation with the sky crossed by white clouds against a pale blue background
• Skilful use of light that models the architectures creating contrasts between illuminated and shadowed areas
• Characteristic chromatic palette with predominance of warm tones (ochre, pink, gold) in contrast with the blue-green of the water
• Precise but less meticulous brushwork compared to eighteenth-century originals, typical of nineteenth-century productio

In the first half of the nineteenth century, Venice continues to be a privileged destination of the Grand Tour and the subject of intense vedutist production. Numerous local painters continue the tradition inaugurated by Canaletto and Francesco Guardi in the previous century, producing views for foreign travelers who wished to take with them a visual memory of the Serenissima. These artists, while following established models and already widely tested compositions, adapt the style to the Romantic sensibilities of the era, with greater attention to atmospheric and luminous effects.

The subject falls within the typology of the Venetian "representational view," with the Doge's Palace symbolizing the political power of the Republic (now fallen in 1797) and the Basilica della Salute representing the religious devotion of the city.

The choice of this privileged viewpoint responds to the taste of the international public of the time.