1740
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Ale Porte del Dolo is a 1740 ink by Canaletto, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white print shows a busy canal lined with boats and people. Buildings with tall roofs and windows crowd the water’s edge, while a church with a pointed steeple stands in the background. Trees and a railing frame the right side, and the water reflects the scene below. Notice how the artist used fine lines to show light bouncing off the buildings and water—this was a trick to make the scene feel alive. The boats look ready for action, and the crowd gives the place a lively, bustling feel. Want to see more of this artist’s work? Check out etching to learn how they made these sharp, detailed prints.
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.
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