Procession in the Courtyard of the Ducal Palace, Venice

The painting was executed in 1742 by Antonio Joli as an oil on canvas veduta of the Doge’s Palace courtyard. Its earliest known ownership traces to Cardinal Gianfrancesco Stopani (d. 1774) in Rome, after which it passed by inheritance to the Marchese Schiuchinelli of Cremona. In 1836 the work appeared in the collection of Giuseppe Castagna and Felice Ponzio.

It subsequently entered the British collection of Lady Mary Baillie of Polkemmet (d. 1910) and then her nephew Admiral Johnston Stewart, who sold it at Christie’s in June 1912. C. H. Thrift acquired it for Arthur Tooth and Sons that year; it was sold to Viscount Gabriel Chabert in July 1925, passed through Arnold Seligmann’s London gallery in the early 1930s, entered Barbara Hutton’s possession, and was given to the National Gallery of Art in 1945.

The painting entered the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. in 1945 as a gift from Barbara Hutton. Its provenance traces through several private owners, beginning possibly with Cardinal Gianfrancesco Stopani (d. 1774) in Rome, then by inheritance to Marchese Schiuchinelli in Cremona, before passing to Giuseppe Castagna and Felice Ponzio in 1836. It later belonged to Lady Mary Baillie of Polkemmet (d. 1910), then to Admiral Johnston Stewart of Polkemmet, and was sold at Christie's in London on 21 June 1912.

C. H. Thrift purchased it through Arthur Tooth and Sons in 1912, and it was sold to Viscount Gabriel Chabert on 14 July 1925. It passed through Arnold Seligmann in London in the early 1930s before being acquired by Barbara Hutton, who donated it to the NGA in 1945. No formal exhibition history is documented in the available sources.

The painting’s entry into the National Gallery of Art in 1945 cemented its scholarly reputation as an early example of the Venetian veduta genre, a category that later defined 18th‑century cityscapes. Its provenance, from a Roman cardinal to an American collector before acquisition by the museum, highlights a trajectory that scholars such as Ticozzi noted as emblematic of the work’s significance, despite his ambiguous measurements. Contemporary catalogues classify the piece alongside other Venetian urban vistas, underscoring its role in shaping the visual language of later vedute painters who emphasized architectural precision and atmospheric perspective.

The work’s inclusion in a major public collection has ensured continued study of its compositional influence on subsequent cityscapes.

Antonio Joli's oil painting, "Procession in the Courtyard of the Ducal Palace, Venice," captures a lively moment within the historic Venetian landmark. Executed in oil on canvas, the work depicts a bustling scene, characteristic of the artist's focus on the city's prominent architectural settings. It offers a glimpse into the daily life and grandeur associated with the Doge's Palace during Joli's era.

Antonio Joli was particularly known for his vedute, or detailed cityscapes, often featuring the architectural splendor of Venice. His artistic practice frequently catered to the burgeoning Grand Tour market, where affluent travelers sought visual mementos of their journeys. This painting exemplifies Joli's skill in rendering iconic Venetian structures, providing patrons with a lasting impression of their experiences abroad.