Sale: 417 / Old Masters and Art of the 19th Century, Nov. 21. 2014 in Munich Lot 51

 

51
Bernardo Bellotto gen. Canaletto
Der Altmarkt in Dresden (Vue de la Grande Place du vieux Marché, du cote de la Rue du Chateau Royal), 1752.
Etching
Estimate:
€ 9,000 / $ 9,720
Sold:
€ 9,500 / $ 10,260

(incl. surcharge)
Der Altmarkt in Dresden (Vue de la Grande Place du vieux Marché, du cote de la Rue du Chateau Royal). 1752.
Etching.
De Vesme 18. Kozakiewicz 178. Signed, dated and inscribed in plate. Excellent impression of the only state, on laid paper with broad margin. 54 x 84 cm (21,2 x 33 in). Sheet: 60,7 x 87,3 cm (23,9 x 34,4 in).

Canaletto was a son of the painter Bernardo Canal, hence his mononym Canaletto ("little Canal"). His nephew and pupil Bernardo Bellotto was also an accomplished landscape painter, with a similar painting style, and sometimes used the name "Canaletto" to advance his own career, particularly in countries—Germany and Poland—where his uncle was not active. Canaletto was born in Venice on October 28, 1697, to Bernardo Canal and Artemisia Barbieri, and served his apprenticeship with his father and his brother. He began in his father's occupation, that of a theatrical scene painter. Canaletto was inspired by the Roman vedutista Giovanni Paolo Pannini, and started painting the daily life of the city and its people. After returning from Rome in 1719, he began painting in his famous topographical style. His first known signed and dated work is Architectural Capriccio (1723, Milan, in a private collection). Studying with the older Luca Carlevaris, a moderately-talented painter of urban cityscapes, he rapidly became his master's equal.

In 1725, the painter Alessandro Marchesini, who was also the buyer for the Lucchese art collector Stefano Conti had inquired about buying two more views of Venice, when the agent informed him to consider instead the work of "Antonio Canale.. it is like Carlevaris, but you can see the sun shining in it."

Much of Canaletto's early artwork was painted 'from nature', differing from the then customary practice of completing paintings in the studio. Some of his later works do revert to this custom, as suggested by the tendency of distant figures to be painted as blobs of color - an effect produced by using a camera obscura, which blurs farther-away objects. However, his paintings are always notable for their accuracy: he recorded the seasonal submerging of Venice in water and ice. [CB].




51
Bernardo Bellotto gen. Canaletto
Der Altmarkt in Dresden (Vue de la Grande Place du vieux Marché, du cote de la Rue du Chateau Royal), 1752.
Etching
Estimate:
€ 9,000 / $ 9,720
Sold:
€ 9,500 / $ 10,260

(incl. surcharge)