Dresden Neustadt with a View Towards the North, after 1750

About the Work

Bernardo Bellotto studied under his uncle Giovanni Antonio Canal (called Canaletto) and adopted not only his moniker but also his preference for painting vedute. Unlike his uncle, however, the well-travelled Bellotto became known less for his views of Italian cities than for his vedute of Dresden, Munich, Vienna and Warsaw. At first glance, this contemporary copy of a view of Dresden’s Neustadt looks the same as the original. On closer inspection, however, various alterations catch the eye: not only is the view more tightly framed, but the details of the market scene, the groups of figures and stalls also differ from the Dresden original.