Entrance to the Grand Canal near the Punta della Dogana and Santa Maria della Salute 1730 - 1745

Canaletto made this painting of the Entrance to the Grand Canal with oil on canvas. Oil paint allows for the building up of layers, and subtle gradations of light. The magic here is in Canaletto’s technique, which was based on direct observation. Think of him standing on the waterfront with a portable easel, or perhaps working from drawings made on site. He would have painstakingly mixed his colors to match the hues of the buildings and the water, and then applied them with tiny, precise brushstrokes. There’s an implicit social dimension here too. Canaletto's paintings were highly desirable souvenirs for wealthy tourists on the Grand Tour. These paintings weren't just pretty pictures; they were commodities, feeding into Venice's economy. The labor of the artist, the production of the canvas and paint, and the desire of the consumer, all meet in this one image. So next time you look at a painting, remember to think about the materials, the making, and the market that made it all possible.