A capriccio with a monumental staircase, Canaletto (Giovanni Antonio Canal)
Pen and ink with gray wash, roughly 14 x 21 inches ( 36 x 53 cm).
Link is to zoomable version on Google Art Project; downloadable file on Wikimedia Commons; original is in the Royal Collection, which also has a a zoomable version and a downloadable file.
I never tire of Canaletto’s drawings, and this fantastic capriccio (architectural fantasy) is no exception.
Exploring a Canaletto drawing is like meeting a person who seems interesting — though a bit formal and reserved at first — but as you get to know them, turns out to be warm, relaxed and absolutely charming.
