Artwork
Santa Maria della Salute and Riva degli Schiavoni, Venice
Santa Maria della Salute and Riva degli Schiavoni, Venice is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Canaletto. It dates from 1737 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. Created in 1737, this oil painting presents a panoramic view of Venice’s waterfront, centering on the basilica of Santa Maria della Salute.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work is a veduta, or cityscape, depicting a specific view of Venice created in 1737.
The work is a veduta, or cityscape, depicting a specific view of Venice created in 1737. The composition centers on the prominent dome of the Santa Maria della Salute basilica, a major religious landmark, set against the backdrop of the Riva degli Schiavoni, a historic waterfront promenade. As a genre painting of this type, the piece functions primarily as a topographical record, capturing the architectural grandeur and spatial arrangement of these iconic Venetian sites with precision.
The subject matter reflects the 18th-century fascination with documenting the city's unique urban fabric and its most celebrated monuments for an audience interested in the visual identity of Venice.
Technique & Style
Canaletto painted Santa Maria della Salute and Riva degli Schiavoni in 1737 using oil on canvas. The work measures 69 cm by 94 cm and depicts the church and waterfront in Venice. Executed in the veduta genre, it showcases precise architectural rendering and luminous atmospheric effects characteristic of Venetian vedute. The surface remains well preserved, with the oil medium retaining its original sheen and color saturation.
History & Provenance
Canaletto painted Santa Maria della Salute and Riva degli Schiavoni, Venice in 1737 as an oil on canvas cityscape, part of his celebrated series of Venetian views. The work entered the Bavarian State Painting Collections and has been displayed at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, where it remains in the museum's permanent collection. Its creation coincided with Canaletto's active period in Venice, during which he produced numerous vedute documenting the city's architecture and daily life.
The painting is housed in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich and is cataloged under the inventory number 2009.13. It was created by Canaletto in 1737 as an oil on canvas work. The piece has been featured in the exhibition "Canaletto. Bernardo Bellotto paints Europe" at the Alte Pinakothek.
Overview
Created in 1737, this oil painting presents a panoramic view of Venice’s waterfront, centering on the basilica of Santa Maria della Salute. The composition stretches across the Riva degli Schiavoni, showing the bustling canal lined with vessels and pedestrians. The work exemplifies the 18th‑century Venetian veduta tradition, offering a meticulously rendered snapshot of the city’s architecture and daily life.
Artist & collection
Artist
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.
- View of the Dogana and Santa Maria della Salute
Riva degli Schiavoni
Venice: The Dogana and Santa Maria della Salute
The Church of Santa Maria della Salute, Venice
Santa Maria della Salute and the Dogana
Santa Maria della Salute and the Dogana, Venice
Santa Maria della Salute
The Church of Santa Maria della Salute, Venice