ORThe Open Room
Digital gallery
Back to the NGA collection
This image is an architectural perspective drawing of a grand classical terrace. It depicts a balustrade leading towards an ornate bridge with multiple arches, shields, and statues. In the background are detailed buildings, a tower, and mountainous forms along the horizon. The drawing uses fine lines in a pen and ink technique with a monochromatic palette. The scene conveys regal architecture, openness, and grandeur.
Read the visual description

This image is an architectural perspective drawing of a grand classical terrace. It depicts a balustrade leading towards an ornate bridge with multiple arches, shields, and statues. In the background are detailed buildings, a tower, and mountainous forms along the horizon. The drawing uses fine lines in a pen and ink technique with a monochromatic palette. The scene conveys regal architecture, openness, and grandeur.

National Gallery of Art · Drawing

A Capriccio of Palaces and a Loggia Facing a Classical Bridge

Bernardo Bellotto

Date
c. 1765
Medium
pen and black ink over graphite on two joined sheets of laid paper
Dimensions
overall: 29.6 x 47.2 cm (11 5/8 x 18 9/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Accession number
1999.125.1
Credit line
William B. O'Neal Fund
Time span
1751 to 1775
Department
CG-E
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • Baroque
  • Venetian
  • exterior
  • architecture
Provenance

(sale, Sotheby's, London, 7 July 1999, no. 96); (Hazlitt, Gooden & Fox, London, 1999); purchased 1999 by NGA.

Inscription

by later hand, lower right in graphite: Canaletto; by later hand, lower left verso in graphite: 976; by later hand, lower right verso in graphite: A633 / IV-V; sketch in brown ink of a pilaster

Watermarks

on main sheet abstracted lily with "A" below

NGA object ID 110423. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.