A Lock, a Column, and a Church beside a Lagoon

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 644
In addition to views of real sites, Canaletto painted imaginary ones (he called them “ideal views”). Many date to the early 1740s, when he visited mainland Venice with his nephew Bernardo Bellotto, who also excelled at view painting. The originality of these paintings resides in their abstract design, quality of light, and combination of buildings. Unlike in Canaletto’s conventional views, none of the churches, columns, or other structures can be identified.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: A Lock, a Column, and a Church beside a Lagoon
  • Artist: Canaletto (Giovanni Antonio Canal) (Italian, Venice 1697–1768 Venice)
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: 20 × 26 5/8 in. (50.8 × 67.6 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Bequest of Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, 2019
  • Object Number: 2019.141.6
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings

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