The Riva degli Schiavoni Seen from the Market at the Pier after 1755

Canaletto captured this lively view of Venice with pen, brown ink, and gray wash. These are traditional drawing materials, but their application here is more like reportage than high art. The relatively quick technique allowed Canaletto to capture a bustling market scene along the Riva degli Schiavoni. Look closely, and you will see vendors and buyers engaged in commerce. The city's architecture looms in the background, rendered with a skillful economy of line. Canaletto has also captured the atmospheric effects of light and shadow, using the gray wash to create a sense of depth and volume. The choice of medium speaks volumes. Unlike oil paint, which was associated with academic painting, pen and ink were more immediate, more portable, and favored by those documenting the everyday. Canaletto’s approach challenges the distinction between fine art and commercial image-making, and reminds us that even the most beautiful cityscapes are also scenes of labor and trade.