Exhibition note

It is fitting that an exhibition of the work of Canaletto (1697–1768) and his Venetian contemporaries should be held in the gallery of Her Majesty the Queen, for the British royal family holds the largest collection in the world of their work. On display along with Canaletto’s famous depictions of the canals are the drawings and paintings of many of his contemporaries, notably those of Sebastiano Ricci (1659–1734), who specialized in religious and historical scenes, and his nephew Marco Ricci (1676–1730), who was a gifted caricaturist as well as a fine painter of landscapes. The title—“the Art of Venice”— is amply justified.

Venice, with its canals, churches, and palaces, is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. From at least the early eighteenth century it has been a prized tourist destination for the peoples of northern Europe....