Venice, Basilica Della Salute - Late 18th Century

Venice, Basilica della Salute.
Oil on canvas
School of Francesco Guardi
Late 18th century
Beautiful antique carved and gilded frame
Canvas 35 x 27 frame 50 x 42
Very good condition

The painting depicts a spectacular view of the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute seen from the Grand Canal.
The white mass of the magnificent Baroque building stands out illuminated by the sunlight in the blue sky of a splendid day. The shadowed facades of the buildings next to the Church help to enhance its imposing and sinuous shape that creates silvery reflections in the waters of the Canal. The painting is of excellent quality, made by an author with great miniaturist skills, highlighted by the perfection in describing the figurines on the boats, in the most typical pictorial technique of the great Venetian Masters.

The small size of this jewel was intended to facilitate sales to wealthy travellers of the time, who in the absence of more modern postcards could have a memory of the cities visited, among which Venice had always been considered the most sought-after destination.

The painting was cleaned, restored and relined towards the end of the 19th century and inserted into a beautiful carved and gilded frame of English manufacture, confirming that the work comes from an old collection in the United Kingdom.