Lot Essay
For Johann Matthias von der Schulenburg and his patronage of contemporary artists, see, for instance, the catalogue of the sale in these Rooms, 11 December 1992, p.38. Schulenburg owned works by all the leading Venetian view painters of his day, including six by Carlevarijs (for four of which, see D. Succi, Vedute e Capricci Veneziani del Settecento nella Galleria di Johann Matthias von der Schulenburg, in the catalogue of the exhibition, Capricci Veneziani del Settecento, Castello di Gorizia, June-Sept. 1988, pp.93-5 and 97, figs.5-8), six by Canaletto (the magnificent View of Venice from San Biagio in Sir John Soane's Museum among them), five by Marieschi (including the superb View of the Rialto Bridge at Claydon House and the Courtyard of the Doge's Palace sold in these Rooms, 2 July 1976, lot 45; ibid., p.200, fig.11), and four by Bellotto. Apart from those of Venice, his collection included views of Verona, Naples, Rome, Malta and Corfu. Those of Verona and Naples are the only two works by Joli recorded in Schulenburg's inventories. The view of Naples is in a wider format than the present picture (it measures 64 x 167cm.) and was evidently painted shortly after the present picture, as payment was made on 30 May 1736 (see Binion, op.cit., 1990, p.150): it was sold at Sotheby's on 28 February 1990, lot 85. While Joli painted numerous views of Naples, the present picture seems to be his only known view of Verona and may have been commissioned for more personal reasons; Schulenburg was to transfer his principal residence from Venice to Palazzo Orti, Verona, in February 1742 and he spent the last five years of his life there.
A similar view of Verona, but taken from on the Ponte Nuovo, was painted twice by Bellotto about ten years after the present picture (S. Kozakiewicz, Bernardo Bellotto, London, 1972, II, p.79, nos.98-9, illustrated p.77; that at Powis Castle was included in the exhibition The Treasure Houses of Britain, National Gallery of Art, Washington, 3 Nov. 1985--16 March 1986, pp.272-3, no.193, illustrated in colour)
A similar view of Verona, but taken from on the Ponte Nuovo, was painted twice by Bellotto about ten years after the present picture (S. Kozakiewicz, Bernardo Bellotto, London, 1972, II, p.79, nos.98-9, illustrated p.77; that at Powis Castle was included in the exhibition The Treasure Houses of Britain, National Gallery of Art, Washington, 3 Nov. 1985--16 March 1986, pp.272-3, no.193, illustrated in colour)