Enfilade

Canaletto, A Regatta on the Grand Canal, ca. 1740
(London: National Gallery)

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Compton Verney press release for the display now on view at the Victoria Art Gallery:

Canaletto’s A Regatta on the Grand Canal
Victoria Art Gallery, Bath, 7 March — 3 May 2015
Compton Verney, Warwickshire, 9 May — 21 June 2015
Sunderland Museums and Winter Gardens, 11 July — 13 September 2015

Canaletto’s masterpiece A Regatta on the Grand Canal (about 1740) is on loan from the National Gallery to promote the understanding, knowledge and appreciation of Old Master paintings to as wide an audience as possible. This large-scale work depicts the annual carnival regatta in Venice. Some of the figures in the foreground wear the bauta, a costume of white mask and black cape which was typically worn during the carnival. The painting shows the one-oared light gondola race. The arms of the Doge Alvise Pisani, who ruled from 1735 to 1741, are visible on the macchina della regatta or floating pavilion on the left, from which coloured flags were presented to the winners. The painting is a companion piece to Canaletto’s Venice: The Basin of San Marco on Ascension Day of the same date.

The Masterpiece Tour is part of the National Gallery’s commitment to promote the understanding, knowledge and appreciation of Old Master paintings to as wide an audience as possible. This opportunity to bring hugely popular National Gallery paintings to the public’s doorstep is made possible by the generous support of Christie’s.

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This year Compton Verney and Bath’s Holburne Museum are also hosting a major exhibition addressing the Venetian artist: Canaletto: Celebrating Britain.