Exhibition: Canaletto's Venice Revisited

This major exhibition will display the complete set of 24 Venetian views painted by Canaletto in the 1730s.

The works, from the world famous collection at Woburn Abbey, form the largest single commission the Italian artist ever received.

Canaletto’s Venice Revisited will reassess Canaletto at the height of his career, looking beyond the broad views he is famous for to also closely examine the features that bring his Venice to life.

Bookmarking the exhibition will be two of Woburn Abbey’s monumental views of Venice that were commissioned by Lord John Russell as souvenirs following his visit to the city as part of the Grand Tour. The context of the Grand Tour is also important to understanding Canaletto as an artist. His reputation was built on a relatively rapid turnover of breath-taking works of art for Venice’s emerging tourist industry.

Apart from displaying the paintings in London for the first time, the exhibition will also encourage visitors to look beyond the ‘view painting’ and look more closely at how Canaletto brought life to otherwise static scenes.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see this collection up close at the National Maritime Museum.

Ian has visited - review here.