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Exhibition

Canaletto and the Art of Venice

Details of gondola on a Venice canal
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The Queen's Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse

OTHER VENUES
The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace The Queen's Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse National Gallery of Ireland [Dublin]
  • Daily (Friday, 11 May 2018 - Sunday, 21 Oct 2018)

The Royal Collection contains the world's finest group of paintings, drawings and prints by Venice's most famous view-painter, Canaletto (1697-1768). These works were bought by the young George III in 1762 from Canaletto's agent and dealer Joseph Smith, British Consul in Venice, along with the rest of Smith's huge collection.

The exhibition presents a spectacular selection of eighteenth-century Venetian art, with Canaletto's greatest works shown alongside paintings and works on paper by Sebastiano and Marco Ricci, Francesco Zuccarelli, Rosalba Carriera, Pietro Longhi and Giovanni Battista Piazzetta. The exhibition explores the many delights of eighteenth-century Venice, from the splendours of the Grand Canal and St Mark's Square to its festivals, theatre and masked carnival, bringing the irresistible allure of the most beautiful city in the world to The Queen's Gallery.

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Events programme

Highlight objects

Canaletto (Venice 1697-Venice 1768)

The Bacino di San Marco on Ascension Day

Canaletto (Venice 1697-Venice 1768)

The Piazza looking north-west with the narthex of San Marco

Marco Ricci (Belluno 1676-Venice 1730)

Capriccio with Roman Ruins

Canaletto (Venice 1697-Venice 1768)

Capriccio View with Palladio's Design for the Rialto Bridge
Explore the exhibition

Explore the exhibition

A drawing of the Libreria and the Molo in Venice. The Molo is the broad stone quay in front of the Palazzo Ducale and Libreria. The Libreria dominates the composition, but the two columns of San Teodoro and San Marco are depicted in front of the building.
Joseph Smith and Canaletto

Smith first met Canaletto in the 1720s

This is one of a series of twelve views by Canaletto of the Grand Canal which are all the same format. The pictures form the basis of the fourteen engraved plates in Visentini's <em>Prospectus Magni Canalis Venetiarum</em> (Venice, 1735), thus providing a
The Grand Canal series

The series was one of Consul Smith's principal commissions

Both this painting and RCIN 405078 show a great debt to Marco Ricci's capricci, both in oil and in tempera on leather, which Canaletto would have been able to study in Consul Joseph Smith's collection. The compositions, with large ruined arch or arches in
Artists in Venice

Canaletto was one of many artists working in Venice

A pen and ink drawing of a rock-arch over a stream, with fishermen climbing rocks on the right, towards two women who look down on them. This drawing is probably directly preparatory for one of Marco Ricci's etchings, as the careful handlin
Landscape painting

The idealised rural landscape had always been popular in Venetian art

An etching of the landing place for boats at Mestre on the Venetian mainland. The building on the left in the foreground has Canaletto's chevron coat-of-arms. The area around the canal is filled with many figures and a wagon. Second state, Bromb
Printmaking in Venice

Venice was an important print-making centre for centuries

A pen and ink drawing of two opera singers in costume: full-length figures turned in profile to the left; a male singer in Oriental costume imploring a female singer, who faces away. Dated at the upper right corner, 1728. The singers in thi
Opera and Theatre

Eighteenth-century Venice was a city of performance and spectacle

B(M) 517. Architectural elevation of an exterior in classical style: portico-front with double pediments, supported by columns and pilasters, Composite capitals. Below, plan of the front.
Book illustration in Venice

Many artists produced illustrations for printed books

Palladio published his design for the Rialto Bridge in 1570 with the words:
The Palladian revival in Venice

The eighteenth century saw the conscious revival of the work of Andrea Palladio

A drawing of a view in Piazza San Marco in Venice. On the left is part of the Procuratie Vecchie, and the Torre dell'Orologio - a large clock tower containing an astrological clock. On the right is part of the Basilica di San Marco. Many figures are depic
The capriccio

Grand Tourists enjoyed these fantasy compositions

Explore the exhibition
Cover for Canaletto
Publication
Canaletto and the Art of Venice

Exhibition catalogue

Infrared image of Canaletto drawing
New insight into Canaletto's working technique

Research suggests that Canaletto did not use a camera obscura

Screenshot of the page of website for the Exhibition on Screen showing of Canaletto
Canaletto & the Art of Venice in cinemas

Exhibition on Screen will broadcast a documentary film of Canaletto & the Art of Venice

Map & directions

The Queen's Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse, Canongate, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh, EH8 8DX
 DIRECTIONS VIA GOOGLE MAPS
By car

There is a public car park adjacent to the Palace at Broad Pavement. Please visit the Historic Environment Scotland website for more details.

Accessible parking spaces are located on Horse Wynd, just outside the Palace, on a first-come first-serve basis.

By train

The nearest train station is Edinburgh Waverley. The Queen's Gallery is a 15 minute walk from the station.  

Visit National Rail Enquiries for times and fares.

By tram

The nearest tram stop is York Place. The Queen’s Gallery is a 20 minute walk from the stop.

Visit Edinburgh Trams for times and fares.

By coach / bus

Bus numbers 6 and 35 stop near the Gallery.  Open-top tour buses stop nearby.

Limited free coach parking is available adjacent to the Palace. Alternative pay-and-display coach parking is available on nearby Regent Road.

By bike

A free-to-use public bicycle rack is located opposite the Scottish Parliament. 

Quick Links
Official Royal Residences

The income from your ticket contributes directly to The Royal Collection Trust, a registered charity. The aims of The Royal Collection Trust are the care and conservation of the Royal Collection, and the promotion of access and enjoyment through exhibitions, publications, loans and educational activities.