This exhibition brings together a fine selection of Venetian cityscapes, romantic canals and quality of light which have never been represented with greater sensitivity or technical brilliance than during the wondrous years of the eighteenth century.
The masters of vedutismo - Canaletto, Marieschi, Bellotto and Guardi - are all included here, represented by key works that capture the essence and sheer splendour of Venice. The desire to record one's surroundings drove the demand for the vedute, offering contemporary viewers a vivid insight into the period's taste, culture and economy.
The diffusion of prototypes via prints, particularly those of Antonio Visentini, namely his series of engraved plates, the Prospectus Magni Canalis Venetiarum (1735-1742), inspired by the work of Canaletto, dramatically influenced the development of the genre, and has, since then, generated much debate concerning the twin-notions of originality and replication in art.
However, rather than slavishly imitating the art of the past, artists such as Cimaroli and Domenichini became wellknown for producing highly personalised reimaginings of earlier models through their liveliness of vision and masterful execution.
Later nineteenth-century painters such as Bison and Zanin reveal the profound influence that Canaletto and his rivals had upon future generations of artists. The culture of reciprocity between the Italian Peninsula and England during the Grand Siècle, epitomised by the relationship between Canaletto and Joseph Consul Smith, is a key aspect of the history of vedutismo, and this culture of international artistic exchange continues to resonate to this very day. Many viewers will be familiar with such views of Venice through excursions to the National Gallery or the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle and, of course, from visiting the city itself, in person.
We hope, therefore, that this exhibition and catalogue will be of special interest to London audiences and beyond, who we invite to enjoy the evocative and resplendent qualities of Venice, La Serenissima.