A View on the Grand Canal
This painting was bequeathed by the former Muriel Wilson, the daughter of Hull's leading Shipping family. It is one of the few undoubted Canalettos in an English municipal collection. The artist made many paintings of the Grand Canal, from slightly different viewpoints, but employing the same distinctive perspective. It is this re-working of subjects that helps to make his work so familiar to modern audiences. Canaletto was the most prolific of the Venetian vedutista or view painters, whose work depicted towns like Rome and Venice. Accurate paintings were in demand by patrons as souvenirs of their 'Grand Tours' of Italy. Later in his career, Canaletto applied a similar treatment to London. His earlier works, amongst which this ranks as one of the best, have more atmosphere, light, warmth and shadow. Details are richly painted and lively figures populate the scene. Stylistically, his views are similar to those of his contemporaries, Francesco (1712-1793) and Gianantonio (1698-1760) Guardi, and their work is sometimes confused.
