Who painted Landscape with a Woman at a Well [lower left]?

Landscape with a Woman at a Well [lower left] was painted by Canaletto in 1740.

Where can I see Landscape with a Woman at a Well [lower left]?

Landscape with a Woman at a Well [lower left] is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Landscape with a Woman at a Well [lower left]?

Landscape with a Woman at a Well [lower left] is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Landscape with a Woman at a Well [lower left]

Canaletto , 1740

Landscape with a Woman at a Well [lower left] is an ink print by the Baroque artist Canaletto. It dates from 1740 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1740, this etching on laid paper by the Venetian artist known as Canaletto depicts a bustling harbor scene. Though the artist is famed for precise city views, this work belongs to a more imaginative strand of his output, where real architectural elements mingle with invented ones to form a lively, non‑topographical landscape.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on a crowded waterfront filled with ships, cranes, and a throng of figures navigating the docks. At the lower left, a solitary woman leans beside a well, framed by a solitary tree, providing a quiet focal point amid the surrounding activity. The juxtaposition suggests a moment of everyday labor within a larger commercial setting.

Technique & Style

Executed in etching, the image is rendered with swift, sketch‑like lines that convey movement and the texture of the choppy water. The use of laid paper enhances the tactile quality of the print. This rapid, almost improvisational approach was typical of early‑18th‑century printmaking, allowing artists to capture fleeting scenes with immediacy.

History & Provenance

The print forms part of Canaletto’s broader engagement with landscape imagery beyond his celebrated vedute. While the work was likely produced for the market of collectors interested in picturesque views of Venetian life, its exact ownership trail remains unclear, reflecting the common circulation of prints in the mid‑1700s.

Artist & collection

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.