'The Stonemason's Yard', 1727-8
by Canaletto
London, The National Gallery

The view is in Venice, looking across the Campo (small square) San Vidal over the Grand Canal to the church of Santa Maria della Carità (Saint Mary of Charity). The square has been transformed into a workshop for repairing the nearby church of San Vidal (not seen in the picture). The view is brought to life by the people in the square. Masons cut and shape stone in the yard as well as in the hut. A mother leaves her sweeping to rush to her crying (and peeing!) child who has fallen over. Another woman peers down from a balcony to see what the commotion is about. To the right a woman sits on her balcony spinning yarn in the early morning sun. A cockerel crows from the window in the left foreground. In the middle background gondoliers are at work, women hang out washing, and others sit chatting. As in all his work, Canaletto gives great attention to the minute details of this ordinary space to make it come alive.

Click here to view work from the 2004 exhibition, inspired by this painting.

© The National Gallery, London

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