Follower of Canaletto, 'Venice: The Grand Canal facing Santa Croce', after 1738
Two Views across the Grand Canal
We don’t know who painted Venice: San Simeone Piccolo and Venice: The Grand Canal facing Santa Croce, though it’s likely they were made by a contemporary follower of Canaletto, eager to take advantage of his success by producing small-scale copies of his work, or by one of Canaletto’s pupils as a studio copy.
Inscriptions on the back of each canvas, uncovered during conservation work, state they are genuine works by Canaletto. These were presumably added by an unscrupulous artist or owner: the paintings have clearly been produced by someone imitating Canaletto’s style, though rather crudely. Pictures like these formed part of a burgeoning market in Venice during the 1730s and 1740s, enabling visitors who couldn't afford Canaletto’s high price tag to take home a souvenir from their travels.
We don’t know who painted Venice: San Simeone Piccolo and its pendant Venice: The Grand Canal facing Santa Croce, though it’s likely they were made by a contemporary follower of Canaletto, eager to take advantage of his success by producing small-scale copies of his work, or by one of Canaletto’s pupils as a studio copy.
Inscriptions on the back of each canvas, uncovered during conservation work, state they are genuine works by Canaletto. These were presumably added by an unscrupulous artist or owner: the paintings have clearly been produced by someone imitating Canaletto’s style, though rather crudely. Pictures like these formed part of a burgeoning market in Venice during the 1730s and 1740s, enabling visitors who couldn't afford Canaletto’s high price tag to take home a souvenir from their travels.
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