# Canaletto

Italian, 1697–1768; born in Venice; died in Venice

Canaletto, the son of a Venetian painter of theatre scenery, turned in the 1720s to painting views of his native city and became its leading vedutista. British travellers on the Grand Tour were his most eager patrons, many through the merchant and consul Joseph Smith. When war cut off that trade he went to England, working there from 1746 to the mid-1750s on views of London and country houses such as Warwick Castle. He also made a set of etchings that includes imaginary views.

_Written by Ochre Editions._

6 works in the collection.

- [Piazza San Marco](https://www.ochreeditions.com/art/piazza-san-marco-met-435839), Canaletto, late 1720s. Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- [The Square of Saint Mark's, Venice](https://www.ochreeditions.com/art/the-square-of-saint-mark-s-venice-nga-32588), Canaletto, 1742/1744. Courtesy of National Gallery of Art, Washington.
- [Entrance to the Grand Canal from the Molo, Venice](https://www.ochreeditions.com/art/entrance-to-the-grand-canal-from-the-molo-venice-nga-32589), Canaletto, 1742/1744. Courtesy of National Gallery of Art, Washington.
- [English Landscape Capriccio with a Column](https://www.ochreeditions.com/art/english-landscape-capriccio-with-a-column-nga-47179), Canaletto, c. 1754. Courtesy of National Gallery of Art, Washington.
- [Imaginary View of Venice, houses at left with figures on terraces, a domed church at center in the background, boats and boat-sheds below, and a seated man observing from a wall at right in the foreground, from "Views" (Vedute altre prese da i luoghi altre ideate da Antonio Canal)](https://www.ochreeditions.com/art/imaginary-view-of-venice-houses-at-left-with-figures-on-terr-met-335287), Canaletto, 1741. Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- [Warwick Castle: The East Front](https://www.ochreeditions.com/art/warwick-castle-the-east-front-met-459183), Canaletto, 1752. Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.