Canaletto, “Venice Grand Canal from the Rialto Bridge towards Ca' Foscari”

Painting - Oil on Canvas (69 x 94cm) 1733-35 Galleria Nazionale Barberini in Rome

Canaletto, Venice Grand Canal Here is the opposite view of the painting of the “Grand Canal seen from the Balbi Palace to the Rialto Bridge” painted more than ten years after the latter.

Here, there are significantly fewer large boats on the Grand Canal, but a crowd of gondolas and “Peate” moored next to each other.

Canaletto has chosen the time of the day that follows the most active part of it, the delivery of the goods.

Apart from a few sailors who finish putting their boats in order for the next day, the most active characters are passers-by and gondoliers.

The perspective that “approaches” us is perfectly well-rendered, and the subtle play of light on the facades are remarkable.

Canaletto, Venice Grand Canal Here we are totally immersed in this Venetian atmosphere that can be seen from the top of the Rialto Bridge looking towards the Ca' Foscari Palace, a well-developed palace at the bottom of the canal, all bathed in light.

Just to the right of Ca' Foscari, you can see the obelisks that crown Palazzo Papadopoli.

On our left, we notice the stall of the Pescaria San Bartolomeo, and a little further, light-coloured, the Dolfin and Bembo palaces.

To the right of the mast of the big boat in the foreground, the two facades that follow are those of the Loredan Corner and Farsetti Dandolo palaces, to which the imposing Palazzo Grimani succeeds.

As in Canaletto's other paintings, one can only admire the correctness with which he paints the gestures of boatmen and gondoliers.

Canaletto, Venice Grand Canal One of them is slowing down his boat by letting his oar drag in the water (in the foreground on the left), while the one on his right is waiting, planting his oar deep in the water to better immobilize and control his boat.

A Venetian noble protected from the sun under the “Felze” of her gondola crosses the Grand Canal.

Its status is easily inferred because its two gondoliers are dressed identically with their red headdress and trousers, so it is a gondola called “Casada”, palaces, with gondoliers in livery.

For the rest, Canaletto makes the Venetians' life rich and modest, who can be seen on the right, on the Riva del Vin, in full conversation, walking around, while two small dogs sniff each other.

Canaletto, Venice Grand Canal