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Lot Essay
A later version of this drawing, by Bellotto, is in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, as was kindly pointed out by Bozena Anna Kowalczyk, S. Kozakiewicz, Bernardo Bellotto, London, 1972, no. 15, illustrated. A comparison of the drawings side by side shows many similarities, such as the size, the composition and the technique of the black chalk underdrawing. Both drawings show also the same vertical divisions and horizontal line on the lower part of the bridge and top of the ground floors of the houses. The Amsterdam sheet, however, differs from this one in some very small details, such as the position of the pole on the left side and the addition of a chimney on the second house from the right. Moreover, the sky in the Rijksmuseum drawing is marginally less extensive. Overall the Rijksmuseum version seems to be the later of the two.
The sheets are related to views of the Grand Canal with the Rialto Bridge by Canaletto and his studio, Constable and Links, op. cit., no. 228 as by Canaletto, nos. 228a. 1-3 as also by Canaletto himself, nos. 228b. 1-6 as from Canaletto's studio. The composition which is the closest to the present drawing is a painting in the Jacquemart-André Museum (illustrated in S. Kozakiewicz, op. cit., p. 215, fig. C 16) that was engraved in 1742 by Visentini as being from Consul Smith's collection, D. Succi, Canaletto and Visentini, exhib. cat., Galleria Internazionale d'Arte Moderna, Cà Pesaro, Venice, 1986, no. 26, illustrated. The painting and the drawings are similar in the smallest details, and interestingly the pentimento to the fourth boat on the left of the present drawing is found in a finished state both in the later drawing in the Rijksmuseum and in the Jacquemart-André painting. Despite the resemblance of the composition of the present drawing to that of the Jacquemart-André painting, it seems improbable that Visentini would have engraved a painting by Bellotto, then unknown, rather than one by Bellotto's celebrated uncle, Canaletto.
Bellotto entered his uncle's studio around 1735 and was enrolled in the Venetian Painters' Guild in 1738. He worked closely with his uncle until 1747, when he left for the court of Dresden. In his uncle's studio Bellotto made drawings copying a number of Canaletto's paintings, usually without any variation; some examples of these can be found in Darmstadt, M. Beyl, Bernardo Bellotto, genannt Canaletto, Zeichnungen aus dem Hessiches Landesmuseum Darmstadt, exhib. cat., Hessichen Landesmuseum, Darmstadt, 1981, no. 1-10, illustrated. The handling of these is much coarser than that of the present drawing and the perspective is usually inexact. The handling of this sheet, in contrast, with its rounded figures and scratchy indication of the clouds, shows Bellotto developing his own personal style, while still owing much to Canaletto's influence, and should be compared with S. Kozakiewicz, op. cit., nos. 3-6, 31-3, 35, 42-45, 49, 51, 59-60, illustrated.
The sheets are related to views of the Grand Canal with the Rialto Bridge by Canaletto and his studio, Constable and Links, op. cit., no. 228 as by Canaletto, nos. 228a. 1-3 as also by Canaletto himself, nos. 228b. 1-6 as from Canaletto's studio. The composition which is the closest to the present drawing is a painting in the Jacquemart-André Museum (illustrated in S. Kozakiewicz, op. cit., p. 215, fig. C 16) that was engraved in 1742 by Visentini as being from Consul Smith's collection, D. Succi, Canaletto and Visentini, exhib. cat., Galleria Internazionale d'Arte Moderna, Cà Pesaro, Venice, 1986, no. 26, illustrated. The painting and the drawings are similar in the smallest details, and interestingly the pentimento to the fourth boat on the left of the present drawing is found in a finished state both in the later drawing in the Rijksmuseum and in the Jacquemart-André painting. Despite the resemblance of the composition of the present drawing to that of the Jacquemart-André painting, it seems improbable that Visentini would have engraved a painting by Bellotto, then unknown, rather than one by Bellotto's celebrated uncle, Canaletto.
Bellotto entered his uncle's studio around 1735 and was enrolled in the Venetian Painters' Guild in 1738. He worked closely with his uncle until 1747, when he left for the court of Dresden. In his uncle's studio Bellotto made drawings copying a number of Canaletto's paintings, usually without any variation; some examples of these can be found in Darmstadt, M. Beyl, Bernardo Bellotto, genannt Canaletto, Zeichnungen aus dem Hessiches Landesmuseum Darmstadt, exhib. cat., Hessichen Landesmuseum, Darmstadt, 1981, no. 1-10, illustrated. The handling of these is much coarser than that of the present drawing and the perspective is usually inexact. The handling of this sheet, in contrast, with its rounded figures and scratchy indication of the clouds, shows Bellotto developing his own personal style, while still owing much to Canaletto's influence, and should be compared with S. Kozakiewicz, op. cit., nos. 3-6, 31-3, 35, 42-45, 49, 51, 59-60, illustrated.