A drawing of the entrance to the Cannaregio area of Venice. On the left is the church of San Geremia with its tall belltower, behind is Palazzo Labia. In the centre is the Ponte di Cannaregio, with the buildings of the Ghetto Vecchio beyond. On the far right is the Palazzo Querini detti Papozze.

The composition is essentially the same as that of the painting, but from a lower viewpoint, as seen standing on the Riva di Biasio. The belltower of San Geremia is here lower, and thus closer to reality, and Palazzo Emo, second from the right, has been rebuilt. The drawing is dated on the verso to 16 July 1734. The present drawing is carefully constructed with ruled lines and pinpointing, and was surely not made in front of the motif. Canaletto’s reason for dating the drawing is unknown. The drawing corresponds in all details with a painting in the National Gallery, London, which must be based more or less directly on this drawing; the consensus is that the painting is of that problematic but numerous class, a ‘good product of Canaletto’s studio’.

Inscribed in pen on the verso, .1. 16 Luglio 1734, and in pencil, effaced, ...Regio

Catalogue entry adapted from Canaletto in Venice, London, 2005