Seen from the Bacino di San Marco in Venice, 1730 – 1740

About the Work

With his light-flooded vedute, Canaletto decisively shaped the image of his native city, Venice. This picture shows the expanse of water in front of the Doge’s Palace and the mouth of the Grand Canal. The viewer’s gaze moves across the water, with its gondolas and larger vessels, to the distinctive urban silhouette in the middle distance, dominated by the dome of Santa Maria della Salute on the left and the campanile of St Mark’s on the right. The unusual oval format reinforces the impression of looking through a window at a magnificent theatrical landscape.