Venice The Basin of San Marco on Ascension Day Canaletto Buy Art Prints Now
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Tom Gurney BSc (Hons) is an art history expert with over 20 years experience
Published on June 19, 2020 / Updated on October 14, 2023
Email: tomgurney1@gmail.com / Phone: +44 7429 011000

The painting, Venice: The Basin of San Marco on Ascension Day by Canaletto, shows a spectacular view of the Doges palace, Santa Maria della Salute, and the Grand Canal and was done in 1740.

It is an oil on canvas painting and the style used is Baroque with some details of etching technique as was Canaletto style of painting. Venice: The Basin of San Marco on Ascension Day by Canaletto depicts the yearly ceremony during which the Doge drops a gold ring into the water to indicate the marriage of Venice to the sea, a chance to include a number of colorful details. The colors used are natural, clear and compatible. The tone used in Venice: The Basin of San Marco on Ascension Day by Canaletto, is a mixture of dark and light. On the water basin, its deep blue indicating probably the depth of the water and sky blue for the horizon above.

There are also partial dark clouds at the front upper side on the right corner of the paint. The composition of Venice: The Basin of San Marco on Ascension Day by Canaletto, depicts gondolas floating smoothly on the canal with figures visible engaging in rowing of the boats. The texture on the paint is flat, polished and smooth. The mood is visibly calm, content, peaceful and relaxed. It also has some elements of thought-provoking for its admirer. Venice: The Basin of San Marco on Ascension Day by Canaletto has a front-lit, a natural source of light from the sun. The right upper part of the paint is however dark. It's generally clear and brilliant paint.

The view point can be said to be slightly close up but much of the art is on the middle and some partly visible structures seen in the background. Canaletto was inspired by his father, Bernardo Canal, who was also his paint teacher. His other source of inspiration was Luca Carlevaris who majored in cityscape painting. Some of the prominent artist s who were inspired by Canaletto is his nephew Bernardo Bellotto and Giovanni Battista, Antonio Diziani, Francesco Guardi, Frencesco Zuccarelli, and Paul Sandby.

Other paintings by Canaletto include:

  • Grand Canal Looking Noortheast from the Palazzo babli to the Rialto
  • Veduta Ideta with Roman ruins
  • Architectural Capriccio
  • The clock tower in the piazza san marco