32 - Antonio CANAL, known as CANALETTO (Venice, 1697–1768)

Antonio CANAL, known as CANALETTO (Venice, 1697–1768) Caprice of the Lagoon with a Ruined Arch Spanning a Canal to Reach a Pavilion Pen and brown ink, gray and brown wash 36.5 x 52.5 cm Inscribed “Canaletto” in the lower left corner The arches were prepared with a compass stylus On the reverse, a perspective view of a colonnade drawn in black pencil, with small holes from a perspective instrument Paper watermark “IV” Traces of restoration, sun-faded, vertical center fold; two tears (5 cm) and a small loss (0.5 cm) restored at the bottom center Provenance: Former collection of Christopher Head (died 1911) Anonymous sale, London, Christie’s, July 4, 1984, lot 82 Anonymous sale, New York, Sotheby’s, January 14, 1992, lot 63, ill. Anonymous sale, Paris, Hôtel Drouot, Tajan, November 23, 2001, lot 49, ill. Bibliography: -W.G. Constable, *Canaletto: Giovanni Antonio Canal, 1697–1768*, Second edition revised by J.G. Links, Oxford, 1989, I, pl. 240; II, p. 745, no. 825* - J.G. Links, *A Supplement to W.G. Constable’s Canaletto: Giovanni Antonio Canal 1697–1768*, London, 1998, p. 53, no. 825*, pl. 240 Related Works: Our drawing can be compared to a similar painting with minor variations (see: W.E. Constable and J.E. Links, *Canaletto*, Oxford, 1989, 2 volumes, no. 511, reprinted in pl. 93, formerly in the Davies Collection) A drawing with the same architectural composition is noted by Links (work cited above, no. 823, reprinted in pl. 155; Gordon Getty sale, New York, Sotheby’s, January 27, 2010, lot 95). The pavilion on the right is derived from the Portello Gate, while the arches are believed to be inspired by the layout of an aqueduct flanking the Udine Gate in Palmanova (see André Corboz, *Canaletto, Una Venezia immaginaria*, Milan, 1985, ed. Alfieri Electa, 2 volumes, p. 323). The success of this *Caprice* led to several other painted versions with slight variations (op. cit., nos. 511a and 512). A drawing with variations corresponding to the horizontal version (no. 512) in certain details has recently resurfaced in England (anonymous sale, Oxford, Mallam’s, October 21, 2026, no. 244, sold for £135,000; a copy of this drawing was exhibited at the Walpole Gallery in London in 2000, no. 29, repr.). The artist inscribed on the reverse of the latter that he had given this drawing to the patron who commissioned one of the paintings. During his stay in England from 1748 to 1755, Canaletto was in the habit of producing two versions of each drawing: one he kept for himself and the other for his agent and dealer, Joseph Smith. A number of these drawings entered the royal collections in 1763 (see K.T. Parker, *The Drawings of Antonio Canaletto in the Collection of His Majesty the King at Windsor Castle*, Oxford and London, 1948, nos. 55, 119, 114, and 116–17; Constable, op. cit., I, pls. 100, 135, 138, and 140–41; II, nos. 552, 732, 745, and 749–50) Canaletto did not hesitate to reuse motifs when they proved popular. This series of *Caprices* was likely produced during his stay in Great Britain or shortly thereafter (they are dated to a period between 1747 and 1755 by André Corboz (see Canaletto, *Una Venezia immaginaria*, Milan, 1985, Alfieri Electa, 2 volumes, pp. 724–725). After a visual examination, Mr. Charles Beddington opined that this is an autograph version by Canaletto; we also thank him for the information he provided. We also thank Ms. Bozena Anna Kowalczyk for confirming the authenticity of the drawing after coming to examine it in person. Giovanni Antonio Canal, known as Canaletto, left his mark on the 18th century by becoming one of the most famous representatives of Italian veduta painting. The veduta, meaning “view” in Italian, is a painting of an urban landscape or panorama characterized by its topographical accuracy and expert use of perspective. In the 18th century, Venice was recognized as the capital of veduta painting, led by its leading artist, Canaletto. The son of a Venetian artist who painted theater sets, he learned to paint in his father’s studio. In 1720, during a trip to Rome, the young Canaletto met pioneering veduta artists such as Giovanni Paolo Panini and Caspar van Wittel, who would greatly influence him. Upon his return to Venice, he devoted himself to vedute. His incredibly detailed works combine a mastery of light and shadow with geometric precision, while retaining a surprising topographical freedom. They were particularly popular with foreign art lovers, especially young English aristocrats who had visited Venice during their Grand Tour. Internationally renowned, Canaletto moved to London in 1746 for four years, where his vedute of the English capital were greatly appreciated. Consequently, the richest collection of Canaletto’s works is that of the British Royal Collection, which alone holds more than