Artwork

Views: A Wagon Passing over a Bridge

Views:  A Wagon Passing over a Bridge, by Canaletto, 1740
Views:  A Wagon Passing over a Bridge, by Canaletto, 1740

Views: A Wagon Passing over a Bridge is a print by the Baroque artist Canaletto. It dates from 1740 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Canaletto's *Views: A Wagon Passing over a Bridge* (1740) is a characteristic example of his detailed, realistic vedute, capturing everyday urban life in precise, lively lines on a plain background.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts a mundane scene: a horse-drawn wagon crossing a small bridge with a tower-like structure, while a figure stands in the choppy river below, possibly fishing. The focus is on ordinary, unremarkable moments of daily life.

Technique & Style

Executed in black lines on a plain background, the work showcases Canaletto's precise, almost cartographic drawing style, which balances meticulous detail with a sense of vitality.

History & Provenance

Created in 1740 by Canaletto, a prominent Venetian school artist known for vedute of Venice, Rome, and London, as well as capricci combining real and imagined elements.

Context

Rooted in the Baroque tradition, this work reflects Canaletto's unique blend of realism and atmospheric depiction, distinct from grander, more dramatic Baroque themes.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Canaletto

Artist

Canaletto

Giovanni Antonio Canal (18 October 1697 – 19 April 1768), commonly known as Canaletto (Italian: ), was an Italian painter from the Republic of Venice, considered an important member of the 18th-century Venetian school.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Cleveland Museum of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.