Studio: international art (83.1922)

THE STUDIO

CANALETTO'S LONDON VIEWS,

AN T OJN IO CANAL, the famous
Venetian painter of views, generally-
known by his nickname “ Canaletto/'
came to England towards the end of May,
1746, and remained here in constant em-
ployment for eight or nine years. The
work accomplished by him during that
period furnishes us with the most valuable
records, both topographically and pic-
torially, of our City in the eighteenth
century. While it may be something of
a reproach to our national pride to find
that the best views of eighteenth century
London were the work of a foreigner, we
cannot but be grateful for the visit to
our shores of this distinguished artist. 0
Canaletto's fame had preceded him to
England. Many of his views of Venice
had been purchased by English noblemen
and gentlemen making the Grand Tour,
Henry Howard, fourth Earl of Carlisle,
and John, fourth Duke of Bedford, among
the number. Joseph Smith, the British
Consul at Venice, was one of the artist's
earliest patrons. For Smith's collection
Canaletto painted a magnificent series,
including two large views of the Thames
from the terrace of Old Somerset House.
These pictures were purchased from Smith
in 1763 by King George III., and are now
in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle.

Another of Canaletto's early acquain-
tances in Venice was Owen McSwiny,
the eccentric and impecunious theatre
manager, who after his failure at the
Opera House in London, fled to Venice,
where he earned a precarious livelihood
by acting as agent between Italian artists
and their English and Irish patrons. In
letters written by McSwiny to the second
Duke of Richmond, he describes Canaletto
as being ** whimsical " and independent,
the result of his having ** more work than
he can do." Canaletto is similarly
mentioned in other correspondence of the
period. I am indebted to Dr. Tancred
Borenius for an extract from a report
Vol. LXXXIII.—No. 346. January 1922.

on contemporary painters written in Venice
by the Swedish connoisseur, Count Tessin,
who also characterises Canaletto as
** whimsical " and ** peevish." According
to a letter written by Charles de Brosses
a few years later, ** the English had
thoroughly spoiled the artist by paying
him three times as much for his pictures
as he asked for them." 000
It is, therefore, no wonder that, when
the War of the Austrian Succession broke
out and prevented Englishmen from travel-
ling freely abroad, Canaletto himself
decided to visit England, By this time
McSwiny had returned to this country and
it was he who introduced Canaletto to
the Duke of Richmond. To this intro-
duction we owe the magnificent pair of
views now at Goodwood, and reproduced
here for the first time in colour. 0

The view of the Thames, with St.
Paul's in the distance, was taken from one
of the upper windows at the back of
Richmond House in Whitehall, and was
the first picture painted by Canaletto
after his arrival. The subject was
suggested by Tom Hill, the Duke's friend
and former tutor, who expressed the
opinion that this view would give the
painter “ as much reputation as any of
his Venetian prospects." It will be seen
that while the view is in every way
topographically accurate, Canaletto has
made it appear at first sight very much
like a view of Venice. 000
The companion view of Whitehall,
taken from the front of Richmond House,
while not making so pleasing a picture,
is full of interest to the topographer. In
the foreground is the Privy Garden
peopled with numerous well-drawn figures.
On the left is the famous u Holbein Gate,"
which was pulled down in 1759 in order
to widen the roadway. In the middle
distance appears Inigo Jones's Banqueting
House, still in existence as the Royal
United Service Museum. Behind, and
to the right of, the Banqueting House,
rises the steeple of St. Martin's Church,

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