A world-class collection of artwork by Giovanni Antonio Canal (better known as Canaletto), is currently on show at Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum. The exhibition features stunning paintings on loan from the Woburn Abbey Collection, as well as artworks from Worcester’s Fine Art Collection and loans from Birmingham Museums, Tate and Compton Verney.  What’s On recently caught up with curatorial officer, Claire Cheshire, to find out what visitors can expect from this prestigious exhibition.

Canaletto: A Venetian's View has been called a once-in-a-generation exhibition and the gallery’s most ambitious show ever. Can you explain why it’s so prestigious?

The 24 paintings of Venice commissioned by John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford (1710-1771), in the 1730s constitute the largest series of paintings ever undertaken by Canaletto. They normally hang in the dining room of Woburn Abbey and in the last 70 years have only left a couple of times. That we have been able to exhibit 20 of them is extraordinary in itself, but we have also brought together three further works by Canaletto and a number of works by other artists who were directly influenced by him, in particular William Marlow, which have never been hung together before.

Historically speaking, why is Canaletto such an important and revered artist?
Canaletto was the leading painter of views of Venice and arguably the greatest of all the eighteenth-century Italian school of ‘view painters’. During the nineteenth century, paintings by Canaletto could be viewed by the public across the country - his first publicly accessible painting, The Stonemason’s Yard, was hung at the newly opened National Gallery in 1828, and the inclusion of Canaletto artworks in subsequent London exhibitions secured his place as a leading influencer on British art.

What will viewers learn about the artist, his life and times, by visiting the exhibition? 
Canaletto is particularly noted for weaving the hustle & bustle of daily life into his work. You can really get a feel of everyday goings-on in Venice - from people collecting water in the communal wells, to workmen repairing roofs, to wealthy ladies travelling through the canals in gondolas. The exhibition explores trade and commerce in the busy port, the influence of religion and the importance of the Grand Canal.

Which Canaletto painting is your personal favourite?
It’s very difficult to choose, but there is a view of the Piazza San Marco looking towards the Basilica San Marco and the Campanile which I think really shows Venice at its finest. It features the Church of San Marco, the Cathedral of Venice - and the pink marble front of the Doge’s Palace, once the seat of the Venetian government, is visible beside the belltower. Standing side by side, the church and the palace represent the historic connection between religious and political power in Venice.
In the square, Canaletto has included Levantine merchants, a surprising number of dogs and, in the centre foreground, what appears to be two young British gentlemen with a guide.

Can you share with us a fascinating and little-known fact about Canaletto?
Canaletto’s real name was Giovanni Antonio Canal, and he was the son of the painter Bernardo Canal, hence his mononym Canaletto (‘little Canal’).

Has the gallery’s process for preparing for the arrival of Canaletto differed from its process when preparing for the arrival of less-prestigious exhibitions?
All our exhibitions are very important to us. We try to do a range of themes every year to appeal to as many people as possible. Each one takes at least 12 to 18 months of planning, and we become very involved with the subject and strive to present the gallery so that it is visually beautiful but also informative and easy to navigate. This exhibition was complex in terms of logistics and layout, but we are very lucky to have such a wonderful team working on it, all of whom take a real pride in the exhibitions.

Can we expect further once-in-a-generation exhibitions at Worcester Art Gallery & Museum?
Our aim is to bring world-class art to people’s doorstep, and we will continue to work hard in order to achieve this.

Canaletto: A Venetian’s View shows at Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum until Sat 7 January.