Canaletto Biography

Italian painter Giovanni Antonio Canal who came to be known across the world by his nickname Canaletto was one of the most prolific artists of the 18th century. He made a name for himself as a supreme painter of cityscapes. Canaletto’s father was a painter by profession as well and during his childhood in Venice he was trained by his father, before he went to work in Rome. However, after a short stint in Rome, he returned to Venice, learnt the nuances of topographical painting and drawing cityscapes from an older painter and started working with wealthy patrons who used to give him very lucrative commissions. One of the most remarkable works by Canaletto of his early years as a painter of cityscapes was ‘The Stonemason’s Yard’ that showed the sort of vision that he had as a painter and over the years his work was punctuated with bold colours and attention for detail that made him very popular. His work became a huge draw among rich English gentleman of the era who bought his paintings when they were in Italy on holiday and it was due to this lucrative market that Canaletto even moved to England at one point in his career.