Piazza San Marco: Looking East from the South West Corner 1760

Canaletto made this drawing of the Piazza San Marco using pen and ink to describe the physical space of Venice. Canaletto employed ink to depict the grand architecture and bustling activity of the square. The fine lines capture the details of the buildings, from the ornate facades to the towering columns, with closely-laid marks modulating the lighting and shadows. The density of the ink work suggests a sense of depth and atmosphere. The precision of the drawing reflects the influence of printmaking and other forms of artisanal production on art in this period. Canaletto, whose name translates from the Venetian dialect as "little canal maker", was one of a generation of artists who regarded Venice less as a sacred inheritance, and more as a source of income. The drawing is not merely a representation, but an artifact of cultural and economic exchange, blurring the boundaries between art, craft, and commerce.