KHM - Canaletto & Bellotto

KHM - Canaletto & Bellotto

The famous cityscapes of Giovanni Antonio Canal (better known as Canaletto) and his nephew Bernardo Bellotto (who also often called himself Canaletto to emphasize the connection to his famous uncle) are the focus of the exhibition in the Art History Museum. Using optical devices such as the camera obscura, these two Venetian painters studied European cities with scientific precision and creatively transformed what they saw into magnificent, scenic images.

Both artists initially painted spectacular views of their hometown of Venice; But left the lagoon city to pursue their career abroad: Canaletto moved to London, while Bellotto worked in Dresden and Vienna.

With important international loans - many of which have never been shown in Austria before - the exhibition invites you to rediscover the 18th century city, as well as two artists whose careers reflect a Europe marked by mobility, war and uncertainty.