This is Canaletto at his most recognisable. The artist conjures an energetic festival scene in which Venetians celebrate the Marriage with the Sea, commemorating their city’s strong alliance with the Adriatic. He imbues the festival atmosphere with great dynamism, from the fluttering flags and awnings to the splash of the gondoliers’ oars in the water.

Acquired by George III in 1762 as part of the collection of Joseph Smith, British Consul in Venice