La Piera del Bando (The Proclamation Stone by Canaletto (Giovanni Antonio Canal)

La Piera del Bando (The Proclamation Stone 1740 - 1745

print, etching

architectural sketch

landscape illustration sketch

print

pen sketch

etching

pencil sketch

incomplete sketchy

etching

sketchwork

pen-ink sketch

pen work

italy

watercolor

"La Piera del Bando" (The Proclamation Stone) is an etching by the Venetian artist Canaletto (Giovanni Antonio Canal) created between 1740 and 1745. The etching, now in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art, depicts a view of the Doge's Palace in Venice with a grand facade and a courtyard filled with figures. Canaletto is famous for his vedute, or panoramic city views. The artist's use of linear perspective and detailed rendering captures the architectural grandeur of Venice, showcasing the intricate details of the Doge's Palace, as well as the bustling daily life of the city.

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minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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At left, near the portico of St. Mark’s Basilica, a man stands on a short, stout column—the Proclamation Stone, a fragment of ancient porphyry brought back to Venice from Syria during the Fourth Crusade (1202-4). He is the comandador, who reads out legal announcements to the public. The building with the long facade is the Doge’s palace, the seat of Venetian government. In the distance, we see the church of S. Giorgio Maggiore and its tower. The two columns bear statues representing the city’s patron saints: a lion for Mark, and a warrior for Theodore.