Campo Saint John and Paul (circa 1739, Pinacoteca Gianni e Marella Agnelli)

Towards 1735, Bernardo Bellotto, nephew of Canaletto begins to work with his uncle who in the meantime has reached the peak of his fame. Bellotto faithfully  reproduces paintings from his great uncle, so much so that experts could only begin to differentiate between the two at a much later time.

The merchant Smith probably requested Canaletto to paint the most significant churches in Venice in the late 1730's. He probably also involved Bellotto in the process. However, the present painting is undoubtedly one of Canaletto who, in those days, tried to reach new forms of perfection. Bellotto would have probably been in the shop for about one year by the time the painting was completed and, whilst he certainly learnt and copied the style and fluency of his master, he had not managed at that time, to achieve the same level of play with the "chiaroscuro", - the lighting effects.

The ceramics equivalent is a masterpiece on its own. Our ceramist excels himself as time goes by: just study the sky of the painting and how the turbulence is reported on the table lamp.

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(C) Maioliche Originali Deruta (MOD) Autori: Manufacturing Quality for the Discerning Collector and Art Investor