Summary: For its inaugural exhibition, Mercatorfonds presents the first French monograph on Canaletto, and the first worldwide following the Metropolitan Museum's publication in 1989. Numerous recent shows, focusing on specific aspects of Canaletto's work or simply on his depictions of Venice, are a clear indication of the public's interest in the painter's oeuvre.This volume introduces the reader to Canaletto and, by tracing the various phases of his artistic path, provides a complete overview of his work. To highlight the development of Canaletto's tastes, his reactions to Venice's artistic and cultural trends and the atmosphere of England – where he worked for nine years – the paintings and drawings shown here have been selected from among the artist's most remarkable pieces.The first section introduces readers to the artist's early years, when Canaletto – born Giovanni Antonio Canal – painted theatre scenery with his father Bernardo and his brother Cristoforo. In particular, it focuses on Aix-en-Provence, where the Festival International d'Art Lyrique is held each year. Opera libretti in which Canaletto's name appears are shown alongside his first capriccios from 1720–22, which show musical influence, and his first views of Venice, which were composed using stage design criteria.The next section examines the major works of Canaletto's youth, including the views of Venice commissioned by Joseph Smith (1722–1723), Joseph Wenzel de Liechtenstein (1723) and Stefano Conti (1725–1726). These large-format canvases speak to the young painter's skill and dexterity.Canaletto's stay in England, his encounter with new landscapes and the light on the Thames altered his palette and his painterly approach. A series of paintings and drawings show the new solutions he brought to bear in order to capture the country's atmosphere and spirit. He painted pictures of London and lingered on Westminster Bridge – then under construction—the second bridge to span the Thames. He also painted the English countryside, and perhaps travelled as far as the Scottish highlands to depict Alnwick Castle, seat of the Duke of Northumberland.A separate section is also devoted to the technical experiments that Canaletto carried out throughout his career. He designed a systematic and scientific method for reworking drawings out of doors using a camera obscura. The camera that Canaletto used is presented alongside a copy; this devise allows visitors to perceive what the painter actually saw. Reproductions of pages from his sketchbook and a documentary film reveal Canaletto's techniques for painting his views of Venice.The pieces created after Canaletto's return to Venice in late 1755 are indicative of his newfound areas of interest, and his response to the city's new artistic climate, in which Francesco Guardi (1712-1793) and Bernardo Bellotto (1722-1780) were beginning to make names for themselves. Special attention is paid to Canaletto's unquenchable passion for studying new ways to depict light and atmosphere.

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