Imaginary View of S. Giacomo di Rialto [upper right]
c. 1735/1746
![Imaginary View of S. Giacomo di Rialto [upper right] by Canaletto](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/nga/thumb/imaginary-view-of-s-giacomo-di-rialto-upper-right-nga-66558.webp)
Medium
etching on laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 14.5 x 21.2 cm (5 11/16 x 8 3/8 in.) sheet: 45.8 x 62.6 cm (18 1/16 x 24 5/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Paul Mellon Collection
Accession Number
1985.64.152.b
Art Historical Context
Step into the sunlit canals of 18th-century Venice with Canaletto's *Imaginary View of S. Giacomo di Rialto [upper right]*, an enchanting etching created around 1735–1746. Giovanni Antonio Canal (1697–1768), the master of *vedute*—precise yet poetic cityscapes—crafted this as part of a fantastical *capriccio*, blending the real Church of San Giacomo di Rialto near the bustling Rialto Bridge with imagined architectural grandeur. The intimate plate size (14.5 x 21.2 cm) captures intricate details of boats, bridges, and sun-drenched facades, evoking Venice's vibrant Grand Canal life. Etching on ...
About the Artist
Canaletto · 1697–1768
The most famous view-painter of the 18th century, Canaletto's works are characteristically topographically correct with smooth, precise handling. His patrons were primarily English collectors.