Major Achievements

He returned to Rome in 1719 and began his career as the topographical painter he was to become with the creation of his first signed and dated work “Architectural Capriccio” in 1723 that is now in a private collection. He was mentored by a moderately talented landscape painter Luca Carlevaris whom he overtook with his exquisite work on landscapes. His early artwork was done in nature which was opposed to the painting styles of the day that had painters in studios working with their subjects from memory. He did revert to the said style but only on his later works of art. Attention to detail and accuracy are his greatest assets for he often painted Venice in the yearly cycles of ice and water. The Stonemason’s Yard, notably one of his best according to experts depicts a humble working area in the city of Venice. The work was dated 1729 and is currently housed in the National Gallery of London.

Canaletto became well known for his work on grand scenes of Venice’s canals and the Doge’s Palace where he captured the city’s famed pageantry and waning traditions. He accomplished this with the use of atmospheric effects and strong local colors that many local artists and critics have said that he might have anticipated Impressionism ling before it became the style of choice. Some of the most avid collectors and patrons of his work were Englishmen primarily Joseph Smith who was later appointed as the British Consul to Venice in 1744. As an agent, Smith promoted Canaletto’s works by selling them to other Englishmen.

Canaletto had many students that included his nephew Bernardo Bellotto who is known to have used his name for additional profit in his work. Gabrielle Bella, Francesco Guardi, Michele Marieschi, and Giuseppe Bernardino, were among some of the others who have become prominent artists of their own that have learned and worked with the famous landscape artist. Many of his works were owned by George III as part of the Royal Collection. Another English collection is the Wallace Collection that consists of 24 magnificent pieces at a dining room in Woburn Abbey. His work was so hardly sought that many monarchs vied for his art such as Catherine the Great. Such is the allure of Canaletto’s art that has many a modern collector searching and bidding quite a lot of money for his works. They are sought for their beauty and realism that captured the nostalgic past of Venice that has earned the highest price paid for a Canaletto was £18.6 million for the “View of the Grand Canal from Palazzo Balbi to the Rialto” that was sold at Sotheby’s in July 2005.