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In 1683, when nearly a third of Venice's citizens had been killed by the plague, the Venetian senate made a desperate plea: Make the deaths stop, and we will build a magnificent church to honor the Virgin Mary. When the plague did cease the following year, the senate made good on its promise and hired Baldassare Longhena to build a massive church where the Grand Canal merges with St. Mark's Basin. This painting, The Grand Canal at the Salute Church, by Giovanni Antonion Canaletto depicts this church in great detail, from the rounded dome to the baroque stylings of the roof, to the carved figurines that line the entryways. Multiple figures are seen walking toward the church, further drawing the eye to the structure. The river is busy with boats of varying sizes. They, too, point to the church. The water underneath them is lovingly rendered with deep turquoise and blue details, and small white peaks of waves. The church is one of the first things you see when you enter Venice, and tourists are drawn to images of it. Giovanni Antonion Canaletto is known for painting iconic images for the tourist trade. This would have been, for him, an irresistible topic for a painting, and Canaletto executes it with loving, accurate detail.
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Painting Details
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Artwork Name: The Grand Canal at the Salute Church
Original Artist: Salvador Dali
Subject: Landscapes
Style: Rococo
Medium: 100% Hand-painted on Canvas
Shipping Cost: FREE
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