Lagoon Capriccio
Original title: Lagoon Capriccio (recto); Architectural Scene (verso)
kurzbeschreibung
This sheet comes from Canaletto's working years, between 1697 and 1768, and carries a lagoon capriccio on the recto. It is drawn with pen and brown ink, brush and gray wash, over traces of lead or graphite. On the verso there is a constructed architectural scene, likewise in lead or graphite.
Description
A broad stretch of water fills the foreground, with several figures moving about in boats. Behind them rise ruins and a shattered building that recalls a temple or palace. At the left a bridge with columns leads into the picture; at the right stands a structure with a tower, like a church tower or watchtower. Diffuse light and a hazy atmosphere make the view feel like a glimpse of a sunken city. The layout is stretched horizontally and opens onto a wide panorama of the lake and the structures around it.
Context
Canaletto, a Venetian painter of vedute, was famous for his precise views of cities. Capricci such as this one freely combined real and invented elements. The sheet was made between 1697 and 1768, when the artist worked in Venice and later in England. The architectural drawings on the verso suggest he used it as a design study.
Impact
Delicate lines and gray wash give the drawing a calm, atmospheric mood. The ruins and the diffuse light stir a melancholy, almost romantic feeling. Its horizontal spread lends the sheet a panoramic composure.
Technique
The recto is executed in pen and brown ink with brush and gray wash over traces of lead or graphite. On the verso are lead or graphite lines with constructed architectural drawings. The sheet is squared, that is, provided with a grid, which points to transfer for a larger execution.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)