Canaletto & Bellotto: Observation and Invention in Venice, London, and Vienna

This richly illustrated exhibition catalog explores the remarkable artistic dialogue between Giovanni Antonio Canal (Canaletto) and his nephew Bernardo Bellotto, two of the greatest masters of eighteenth-century Venetian veduta painting.

Bringing together works that depict Venice, London, and Vienna, the exhibition examines how the two artists combined meticulous observation, innovative optical techniques, and theatrical composition to redefine the urban landscape. Their cityscapes not only documented the appearance of Europe’s great capitals but also shaped how generations of viewers came to imagine these cities, blending architectural precision with vivid scenes of everyday life, commerce, ceremony, and civic identity.

Edited by Mateusz Mayer, the catalog explores the artistic relationship between uncle and nephew while highlighting Bellotto’s distinctive style and the ways both painters responded to changing political and cultural environments. Through essays and 169 color illustrations, readers discover how advances in perspective, observation, and visual storytelling transformed eighteenth-century city views into enduring masterpieces of European art.

An essential reference for collectors, scholars, and admirers of Canaletto, Bernardo Bellotto, Venetian art, architectural painting, and eighteenth-century European cityscapes.