Titelblad til "Vedute altre prese da i luoghi altre ideate da Antonio Canal" 1744 - 1746

Curator: Canaletto, the Venetian master, created this, shall we say, title page for a collection of his "Vedute altre prese da i luoghi altre ideate," dating from 1744-1746. It’s an engraving. What springs to mind when you see it? Editor: Immediately, this evokes a feeling of faded grandeur—that ghostly plaque looms large, surrounded by decay yet somehow defiant. Like Venice herself, you know? Curator: Absolutely! It plays with perception. Canaletto gives us architecture as a living thing—decaying and inhabited. Observe how the sharp lines defining the edifice are softened by creeping foliage and the suggestion of dampness, as well the steps which lead up the wall. The engraving medium also invites this sharp clarity as opposed to the artist's painting. Editor: Right, I get what you’re saying. I’m also drawn to those figures at the base of the wall. See how they’re dwarfed by the structure? There’s a sense of ordinary life persisting amongst these monumental forms. It really brings home the material weight of the print – it wasn't just conjured out of thin air, was it? Labor went into those fine lines. And how do you make such detail without metal wearing away over time on a plate – how many could he print? Curator: A pertinent thought – these prints weren’t merely decorative baubles, you are right; they played a crucial role in disseminating Canaletto’s vision beyond Venice, creating a market for his paintings but also democratizing access to his artistic world, bringing the Grand Tour home, if you like, for those who couldn't make the journey. Consider who would even use a "title page" such as this? Was it just a proof of authority of sorts for the series of paintings it preludes? Editor: Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? But it is this connection of material, method, and people, that for me brings the artwork into vivid life and helps me re-see Venice herself anew. And there are no canals. Curator: Precisely. It's a testament to Canaletto's capacity to reinvent how we engage with space, material and place -even without a single gondola in sight! It makes me think anew about a future where our own familiar spaces might endure beyond our lifetimes.