Capriccio with Reminiscences of Westminster Bridge and Richmond House, ca. 1755 – 1760

About the Work

Canaletto selected several buildings from the topography of London, assembled them in a new composition and enhanced them with Italian motifs such as the portal decorated with three statues or the statue on the high pedestal. The loggia also serves purely decorative purposes, since it possesses neither a door nor a passageway to the house behind it. A work that looks like a veduta at first sight is thus in reality a richly atmospheric capriccio with Italianized motifs of London. The meticulous execution, the multi-coloured wash, and above all the signature on the back are clear indications that the drawing was intended for sale.