Padua: The River Bacchiglione and the Porta Portello
ca. 1750–60
Medium
Pen and brown ink, gray wash
Dimensions
7 5/16 x 10 7/16 in. (18.5 x 26.5 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.293
Tags
Art Historical Context
In this delicate drawing from around 1750–60, Venetian master Canaletto (Giovanni Antonio Canal, 1697–1768) captures the serene landscape Padua along the River Bacchiglione, with the historic Porta Portello gate prominently featured. Best known for his luminous vedute—precise, topographical views of Venice—Canaletto occasionally turned his eye to nearby northern Italian cities like Padua, offering visitors a glimpse into 18th-century daily life amid bridges, boats, and flowing waters. Created late in his career, this reflects his enduring fascination with architecture and urban vistas, evoking...