On the mezzanine level of the National Gallery’s East Building, a black Venetian gondola is posed in front of a scene of the Grand Canal, intended to transport the viewer back in time more than two centuries into the world of 18th Century Venice.
This spring marks the 150th anniversary of Italy’s unification and D.C. is celebrating with a citywide series of programs celebrating Italian culture past and present. This festival, called La Dolce DC, is being put on by Destination DC, in cooperation with the National Italian American Foundation and the Embassy of Italy.
As the headlining piece of this festival, the National Gallery of Art is hosting the exhibition, “Venice: Canaletto and His Rivals.”
Venice is a captivating city, with its narrow avenues, bustling canals and myriad bridges that make it unique. Coupled with its artistic and cultural background (Leonardo Da Vinci is among its many historical residents), Venice’s unique appearance has made it a popular tourist destination today, and the same was true in the 18th century, as well-to-do travelers from Britain, France and elsewhere would swing through Venice on the Grand Tour and, as today, wanted to take a snapshot back with them.
Enter the scene painters: men who would paint the vistas and back-corners of Venice for the wealthy. The famous scenes of the Grand Canal and Saint Marks Square were recorded over and over by the painters in their vedute (view paintings). The foremost of these painters was Giovanni Antonio Canal, also known as Canaletto.
Instead of focusing on Canaletto to the exclusion of all other artists, this exhibition is made up of a significant portion of works by other artists, including Canaletto’s nephew Bernardo Bellotto, and the last of the view painters, Francesco Guardi. The variety of artists provides juxtaposition between their different styles, as the use and reuse of similar scenes allows for the viewer to compare Canaletto to his competitors.
Despite the reappearance of the Basilica di San Marco and the Rialto Bridge, the exhibit does not feel repetitive or forced. Similarly formatted paintings are placed together to allow easy stylistic comparison, and the beautiful vistas are broken up with bits of historical knowledge ranging from the practice of bull chasing (featured in a work by Cimaroli) to the ceremonial galley of the Venetian head of state, both of which appear several times throughout the exhibit.
The exhibit, which spans two stories in the East Building of the National Gallery, also includes a demonstration of the Camera Obscura, an early camera which was used heavily by view painters, and a 14-minute documentary on Venetian view painting which runs continuously. To further capture the spirit of Venice, the entrance to the exhibit is guarded by a gondola, which used to belong to the American landscape painter Thomas Moran, on loan from the Mariner’s Museum in Newport News.
“Canaletto and His Rivals” is not just for the artistically inclined. Even if the viewer has no interest in the differing styles of the view painters, there is the history of Venice, a city that has had more than its share of fascinating citizens over the centuries, and beyond that there is Venice itself.
“Venice: Canaletto and His Rivals” is on view through May 30 and is a perfect way to spend an afternoon. Admission is free.
thescene@theeagleonline.com
