Room 33

Canaletto’s The Stonemason’s Yard gives working Venice a place beside its grand public views. Look at the activity in the foreground before following the buildings towards the sky. A familiar skyline could be presented through ordinary work as well as ceremony. Many British travellers bought Venetian views as reminders of their Grand Tour, a journey through Europe made by wealthy visitors. Such pictures are called vedute, meaning views. Artists could adjust a scene to make its buildings and open spaces more effective in paint. Compare the quiet yard with the regatta and ceremonial views here, watching how the crowds change the character of the city.