Canaletto: A Venetian’s View
Saturday 1 October 2022 – Saturday 7 January 2023 | Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
Celebrating the wonderful work of Canaletto, this exhibition features stunning paintings from Woburn Abbey, Tate, Compton Verney, and Birmingham Museums Trust – together with artworks from Worcester’s Fine Art Collection.
Canaletto revolutionised the use of colour, ground and canvas and pioneered the technique of painting from life, sitting in front of the subject outdoors as opposed to his contemporaries of the time who completed paintings in the studio. This exhibition explores Canaletto’s work and the impact he had on the generations of artists who followed him.
Born in Venice, Giovanni Antonio Canal (1697 – 1768), commonly known as Canaletto, was an important member of the 18th-century Venetian school. He became very popular with English collections, and visited England repeatedly between 1746 – 56.
It is extremely rare for this hugely significant collection to leave Woburn Abbey, and this will be the first time the paintings will be united with other examples of Canaletto’s work from Birmingham Museums and Compton Verney.
The paintings on display were commissioned in the 1730s by the fourth Duke of Bedford, and are considered the absolute best of Canaletto’s paintings of Venice.
The exhibition is being described as the most ambitious in the history of Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum.
Book your visit to this once-in-a-generation exhibition using the link below.
| Adult | £8 |
| Worcester Resident | £4 |
| National Art Pass Holder | £4 |
| Museums Association Member | £4 |
| Child (up to 16) | Free |
| Museum Member (Art Gallery & Museum / The Commandery) | Free |
| Museums Worcestershire Volunteer | Free |
What’s on…
Bringing Canaletto to Worcester: Bite-size Talk
Tuesday 8 November, 1.30 – 2pm.
In this talk, Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum’s exhibitions curator will explore the Venetian artist’s work and life, his historic tour of the Midlands, and how these wonderful paintings have come to Worcester.
£3; please book via the link below.
Family Trail
Explore the museum and exhibition in a fun, family-friendly way with an art trail; £1 from the Museum Shop.
With thanks to Woburn Abbey, Tate, Compton Verney, and Birmingham Museums Trust for lending their works.
This exhibition has been made possible with Art Fund support.
Canaletto: A Venetian’s View also receives financial assistance from The Elmley Foundation.
Image 1: Canaletto, ‘View of the Grand Canal from the Palazzo Bembo to Palazzo Vendramin-Calergi (No. 3)’. Woburn Abbey Collection.
Image 2: Canaletto, ‘Warwick Castle East Front from the Outer Court’, Birmingham Museums Trust.
