1 00:00:01,360 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff you Missed in History Class, A production 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 1: of iHeartRadio. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. I'm Holly 3 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: Frye and I'm Tracy V. 4 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:16,079 Speaker 2: Wilson. 5 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:18,240 Speaker 1: I went to London recently. 6 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:21,160 Speaker 2: You did. That was fun, so naturally I'm going to 7 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:25,599 Speaker 2: do an episode on an Italian painter. But hear me out, 8 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 2: it all makes sense. This particular painter had a strong 9 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:32,599 Speaker 2: following in Britain and I knew about him before. But 10 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 2: while we were in London, we had lunch with a 11 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:39,199 Speaker 2: new friend, Mimi, and. 12 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:42,720 Speaker 1: Went to the National Gallery with her after that, and 13 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: she specifically wanted to see the canilettos because she loves them, 14 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 1: and so Mimi, this one is for you. And Canneletto 15 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:53,280 Speaker 1: is a pretty interesting story. So it all worked out 16 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 1: just fine, little cross Europe story of art. 17 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:04,959 Speaker 2: Giovanni and Ottonio Canal was born October seventeenth or eighteenth, 18 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 2: sixteen ninety seven in Venice, Italy, near Ponte de Rialto, 19 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 2: that's on the east side of the Rialto Bridge. His 20 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 2: family was in a pretty good financial standing. We're going 21 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:17,399 Speaker 2: to jump ahead in this story right out of the 22 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 2: gate and say we don't really know exactly when Canal 23 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:25,120 Speaker 2: started going by Caniletto, Although the reason why is pretty 24 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:28,720 Speaker 2: easy to guess. The prevailing theory is that he was 25 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 2: trying to avoid confusion with another painter named Bernardo Canal. 26 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 2: That painter was also his father, so it makes sense 27 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 2: that Giovanni would change his professional name to something that 28 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 2: basically meant the little Canal. Giovanni had worked in Bernardo's 29 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 2: studio as an assistant, so he was not just his 30 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 2: father's son, but also his father's protege. We have so 31 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 2: many examples of painters in history who kind of fit 32 00:01:56,720 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 2: the struggling artist trope that you may wonder how Caneletto's family, 33 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 2: which was all painters, had wealth. That's because Bernardo had 34 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 2: become well known and successful in Venice as a painter 35 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 2: of theatrical scenery. Bernardo was also so well respected that 36 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,800 Speaker 2: his name was often included in librettos for operas where 37 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 2: he was painting this scenery. 38 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: And in a city like Venice where opera was held 39 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:25,360 Speaker 1: in extremely high regard, this contributed to the family's standing. 40 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 1: But the Canals were also from a noble family described 41 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:33,760 Speaker 1: as Origine Civezvendus, one of the city's original families. 42 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 2: Starting in seventeen sixteen, Canletto was also working as a 43 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 2: scene painter in Venice for operas. These operas were being 44 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 2: staged by Sicilian composer Alessandro Scarlatti. This was a family affair. 45 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:51,520 Speaker 2: He was working alongside his father and his brother Christoforo 46 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:55,799 Speaker 2: in the Canal family business. But when the entire production 47 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 2: moved to Rome in seventeen nineteen, which took the Canal 48 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:03,960 Speaker 2: family with it, it really shifted Canileto's career significantly. 49 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:08,440 Speaker 1: It's believed that while in Rome, Caniletto started to move 50 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:13,080 Speaker 1: from just doing theatrical work to painting canvases, and this 51 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 1: is sometimes attributed to him having grown tired of the theater. 52 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:19,360 Speaker 1: But when you look at some of his paintings, you 53 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:21,840 Speaker 1: kind of can't help but think that they still could 54 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: be backdrops if they were just a little bit larger, 55 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 1: because many are fairly large and their city scapes usually. 56 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 1: Canileto returned to Venice in the early seventeen twenties and 57 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:37,560 Speaker 1: studied briefly under Luca Carlavaris, known for his city scapes 58 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:41,840 Speaker 1: of Venice, But soon the student had surpassed the master 59 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 1: and produced his first known work of architectural Capricio Circus 60 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 1: seventeen twenty three. 61 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 2: By the mid seventeen twenties he was painting city views 62 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:56,600 Speaker 2: on commission, and he was unusually successful really quickly. By 63 00:03:56,640 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 2: seventeen twenty three he had completed four paintings which had 64 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 2: been come the property of the Prince of Liechtenstein, Joseph 65 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 2: vensel Ist. These images don't have formal titles, so they're 66 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 2: normally noted by their contents and the directional point of 67 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 2: view that these contents are seen through. These are the 68 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:18,279 Speaker 2: names as listed in a nineteen eighty nine exhibit catalog 69 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:23,159 Speaker 2: from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Piazza San Marco looking 70 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 2: east along the central line, Grand Canal looking east from 71 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:31,720 Speaker 2: the Campo s View, Grand Canal looking northeast from the 72 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 2: Palazzo Balbi to the rialto Ridge, and Rio Dementicanti looking south. 73 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:40,560 Speaker 2: These and several other paintings show the architecture of Venice 74 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 2: with a really dramatic light and shadow. It's easy to 75 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 2: think of them as specific moments in the day when 76 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 2: the sun would be at a point in the sky 77 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:53,200 Speaker 2: where some buildings were very brightly lit and others were 78 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 2: in shadow. 79 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 1: These early works showed the vedute view painting that was 80 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,920 Speaker 1: becoming popular in Venice, so we don't know how much 81 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 1: contact exactly Caniletto had with other painters of this style 82 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:10,279 Speaker 1: outside of his teacher Carla Varius. His works fall under 83 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 1: the category of capriccio, meaning views that are grounded in 84 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 1: real vistas but which contain imagined elements. This doesn't, to 85 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 1: be clear, indicate that they're fantastical, although it can be 86 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 1: but merely that the painter imagined things in the vista 87 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 1: that weren't there, and in Canniletto's case, he was painting 88 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:31,039 Speaker 1: scenes that often included people or events that he was 89 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:34,559 Speaker 1: imagining or remembering that were grounded in the real life 90 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 1: culture and community of the surroundings. Although they were not 91 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 1: things that he directly saw at the time, he may 92 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:44,000 Speaker 1: have been surveying it for the painting. One of the 93 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 1: hallmarks of his paintings is detail. When you look at 94 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:50,039 Speaker 1: a Caniletto, it takes a little while to take it 95 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 1: all in your eyes, dart around the image as you 96 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:56,920 Speaker 1: notice more and more smaller and smaller details, and in 97 00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:59,920 Speaker 1: some cases, as you get closer and closer, you realize 98 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:02,800 Speaker 1: there's a bit of a magic trick in play, what 99 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 1: looks from five feet away like a highly detailed boat 100 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 1: on the canals of Venice is revealed to be just 101 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:13,040 Speaker 1: a couple of tiny brushstrokes and dots once you get 102 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:16,359 Speaker 1: closer to it. Yeah, it's really quite an amazing effect. 103 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:19,880 Speaker 1: I anytime I see a Caniletto in a museum, I 104 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:22,680 Speaker 1: like to watch people stepping closer and stepping back over 105 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 1: and over, because they're kind of assessing, Oh yeah. Caniletto's 106 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 1: early professional success is really indicative of how his entire 107 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 1: career would play out. His most ardent supporters were from 108 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 1: countries other than Italy, and part of this appeal for 109 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:41,920 Speaker 1: foreigners was that Canneletto's paintings were considered almost like souvenirs, 110 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:45,920 Speaker 1: so very very opulent ones in lieu of a postcard 111 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 1: like we might get today. Foreign visitors would commission the 112 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:52,360 Speaker 1: talented Caniletto to paint one of the vistas that they 113 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:56,599 Speaker 1: had seen while traveling. In a lecture about Caniletto given 114 00:06:56,640 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 1: by National Gallery curator Francesca Whitlam Cooper, she mentions that 115 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 1: a stop in Caneletto's studio kind of became part of 116 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 1: a grand tour for many Europeans. And procuring a piece 117 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 1: by him offered not just a souvenir, but a way 118 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:14,840 Speaker 1: to build your art collection while abroad. A man named 119 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:18,320 Speaker 1: Owen McSwiney entures the story of Caniletto's life in the 120 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:23,560 Speaker 1: mid seventeen twenties. McSwiney, which has sometimes written just as Swiney, 121 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,520 Speaker 1: lived in Italy but was Irish, and he had an 122 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:30,240 Speaker 1: idea to commission a series of allegorical paintings that would 123 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:35,320 Speaker 1: feature prominent Englishmen in various roles. Mcsweiney's idea was that 124 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 1: quote the figures, the landscaps, the buildings and other ornaments 125 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:43,240 Speaker 1: are painted by different hands. He wanted to commission three 126 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 1: different painters for each work to create imagery that was 127 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 1: entirely unique, and this was an expensive effort. To raise 128 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 1: money for it, the Irish empresario wrote a pamphlet titled 129 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 1: two of the Ladies and Gentlemen of Taste of Great 130 00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 1: Britain and Ireland. This was basic an advertisement for a 131 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 1: subscription to a folio volume that would include engravings of 132 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:09,000 Speaker 1: all the paintings. He managed to get the first handful 133 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 1: done and printed, but this project was never completed. Caniletto 134 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 1: worked on the landscapes for some of the completed paintings, 135 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: and his relationship with mcswheiney is considered to be the 136 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:24,640 Speaker 1: start of his souvenir landscape career. This irishman was the 137 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:27,480 Speaker 1: one who suggested that he might make a nice living 138 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 1: doing what was essentially commercial art. Mcswhiney himself purchased quite 139 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:35,320 Speaker 1: a few works from Caniletto and then flipped them on 140 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:39,080 Speaker 1: the British art scene, reselling them to collectors. He also 141 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 1: introduced Caniletto to a British expatriate living in Venice at 142 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:46,240 Speaker 1: the time, a man named Joseph Smith, and Smith is 143 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:49,960 Speaker 1: often credited with giving Caniletto the idea of broadening his 144 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:54,559 Speaker 1: offerings to sell more paintings, suggesting not just painting Venice, 145 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:59,080 Speaker 1: but also painting Rome and even other cities. This crossover 146 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:03,680 Speaker 1: relationship Caneletto, mcsweiney and Smith has often led to accounts 147 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:06,199 Speaker 1: that suggest that Smith was the one to put the 148 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 1: Venetian artist on the path to commercial success, but plenty 149 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 1: of historians give that credit to mcsweiney, who oddly never 150 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 1: managed to have the same insights to create his own fortune. 151 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:19,720 Speaker 1: There are also some letters. 152 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:22,400 Speaker 2: Written by mcsweiney, in which he kind of bad mouths 153 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:26,319 Speaker 2: Caniletto say he isn't loving some of the artist's recent 154 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:30,200 Speaker 2: work and writing quote he's a covetous, greedy fellow, and 155 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 2: because he's in reputation, people are glad to get anything 156 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:37,680 Speaker 2: at his own price. Some of mcswey's chagrin is born 157 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:39,800 Speaker 2: of the fact that he felt that he had set 158 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:43,720 Speaker 2: Canniletto down that liegrative path of souvenir paintings, only to 159 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 2: discover that Joseph Smith had supplanted him as the primary 160 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:52,320 Speaker 2: conduit of deals between Britain and Italy, and Joseph Smith 161 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 2: did help get a lot of Caniletto's paintings to English 162 00:09:56,160 --> 00:10:00,120 Speaker 2: collectors starting in seventeen thirty. He was even nicknamed the 163 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:02,800 Speaker 2: Merchant of Venice for it, and a lot of what 164 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 2: we know of Caniletto's business success during this time comes 165 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:09,640 Speaker 2: from the notes and invoices and other business documents that 166 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:13,840 Speaker 2: passed between Smith and purchasers. We don't really have much 167 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:17,880 Speaker 2: that comes from Camiletto himself. Additionally, the painter didn't always 168 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:20,839 Speaker 2: sign his work, so in some cases paintings have been 169 00:10:20,880 --> 00:10:24,800 Speaker 2: attributed to him only after comparisons to descriptions in the 170 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:26,880 Speaker 2: notes of Smith and other art dealers. 171 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 1: Coming up, we'll discuss one of Caniletto's most famous early works, 172 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:34,760 Speaker 1: and we'll get into all of the details after we 173 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 1: pause for a sponsor break. One important work from this 174 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:50,680 Speaker 1: early stage of Caneletto's career is the oil painting The 175 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:53,880 Speaker 1: Stonemason's Yard, which is believed to have been painted in 176 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 1: seventeen twenty five, before Joseph Smith started brokering deals for 177 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:01,600 Speaker 1: his work, which is one hundred and twenty three point 178 00:11:01,679 --> 00:11:04,480 Speaker 1: eight by one hundred and sixty two point nine centimeters 179 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 1: that's about forty nine by sixty four inches, is different 180 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 1: from a lot of his other work. It's less grand 181 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 1: in tone. It depicts a very ordinary scene, but it's 182 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:18,719 Speaker 1: also considered one of his masterpieces. Venice's grand Canal, which 183 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 1: appears in so many of his paintings, is present, but 184 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:24,959 Speaker 1: it's in kind of a minimized sense. The viewer sees 185 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:28,360 Speaker 1: across it in the background. The people in the painting 186 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:32,120 Speaker 1: are doing very normal day to day things like winding 187 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 1: yarn and chasing children. And it's notable for a number 188 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:39,199 Speaker 1: of reasons. One, it features really beautiful textures within the 189 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:42,560 Speaker 1: painting like plaster and wood, and it has the same 190 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:45,640 Speaker 1: idea of the play of some light across buildings, leaving 191 00:11:45,679 --> 00:11:48,560 Speaker 1: some illuminated and some in shadow as a lot of 192 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:50,800 Speaker 1: his other work, but the contrast here is a little 193 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:55,319 Speaker 1: bit less intense. One element that feels much different about 194 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:58,080 Speaker 1: it is a darker sky than most of his other paintings. 195 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:01,760 Speaker 1: He often had these very bright, beautiful skyscapes, but the 196 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:05,960 Speaker 1: National Gallery lecture we mentioned earlier includes a discussion that 197 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:09,400 Speaker 1: it was repainted at some point, but it's unclear when, 198 00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:12,720 Speaker 1: so we can't be certain if how that was originally 199 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:15,240 Speaker 1: intended or not, or even if Caniletto was the one 200 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:16,280 Speaker 1: that did the repainting. 201 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:20,720 Speaker 2: The Stonemason's Yard, like most of Caniletto's works, is an 202 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 2: exterior view. Caniletto often stated that he painted outside, something 203 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:29,480 Speaker 2: that wasn't a common practice at this point, but there's 204 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:32,760 Speaker 2: also evidence that he eventually started using a camera ottica, 205 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:36,640 Speaker 2: which is a type of camera obscura. Using the camera ottica, 206 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:40,760 Speaker 2: which projected images onto a screen made of ground glass, 207 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:44,560 Speaker 2: the artist was able to work indoors, and that became 208 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:48,040 Speaker 2: a necessity as his popularity really soared and he had 209 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 2: to keep up with this ever growing demand. 210 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 1: For his work. 211 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:55,920 Speaker 2: This has been a very controversial part of Caniletto's story 212 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:58,480 Speaker 2: for a long time. Over the decades, there have been 213 00:12:58,559 --> 00:13:01,880 Speaker 2: cases made for and against the assertion that the painter 214 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 2: used a camera obscura. The camera ottica was not the 215 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:10,080 Speaker 2: only technique that Caniletto employed to ramp up production. He 216 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:14,000 Speaker 2: also sometimes worked from other people's drawings or engravings, and 217 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:17,800 Speaker 2: he also developed a fairly scientific approach to laying out 218 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:20,720 Speaker 2: his scenes, with a ruler and a compass to establish 219 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:24,240 Speaker 2: all of the architectural elements, and then used a formula 220 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:28,120 Speaker 2: to add details and people to maintain a perfect balance 221 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:32,360 Speaker 2: to the composition. This enabled him to make a multiple 222 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:35,439 Speaker 2: versions of the same view, something that would actually come 223 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:36,959 Speaker 2: back to bite him a little bit later. 224 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:38,720 Speaker 1: We're going to discuss that in a little while. 225 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 2: But the camera ottica was merely a tool, and it 226 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:45,760 Speaker 2: was not uncommon for artists in the seventeenth and eighteenth 227 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:50,840 Speaker 2: centuries to employ optical aids like these. In Caniletto's case, 228 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:53,720 Speaker 2: it sort of offered a guideline, not a picture that 229 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:57,320 Speaker 2: he was copying. If you look at any of his work, 230 00:13:57,480 --> 00:13:59,679 Speaker 2: the perspective and the lines of. 231 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 1: Science are sharp. 232 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:04,160 Speaker 2: They are more perfect than reality. If you go to 233 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:07,280 Speaker 2: a place that's represented in one of Canletto's paintings that 234 00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:10,320 Speaker 2: you hold up a print or a photo of the artwork, 235 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 2: you'll never quite get it lined up properly, because he 236 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:17,200 Speaker 2: trued up the lines of every scene to create really 237 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:22,920 Speaker 2: idealized versions of his vistas. Additionally, sometimes he used two 238 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:27,400 Speaker 2: different perspectives of a given view and combined them, using 239 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:31,040 Speaker 2: some details from each of them. The resulting works don't 240 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:35,160 Speaker 2: look surreal to the viewer, they feel almost super real 241 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 2: because of how perfected they are. One of his paintings 242 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:41,720 Speaker 2: from the late seventeen twenties is the Piazza San Marco, 243 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 2: which is in the collection of the met and it 244 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 2: shows the plaza and its bell tower. The right third 245 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:50,240 Speaker 2: of the scene is in shadow, and the plaza is 246 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:53,240 Speaker 2: filled with people. Although it's not crowded, there are just 247 00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:55,200 Speaker 2: a lot of people kind of spread out and they're 248 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:57,920 Speaker 2: going about their business or in some cases they're standing 249 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:01,800 Speaker 2: around in groups talking. This painting is noted as one 250 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 2: in which he didn't alter the scene significantly, but he 251 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 2: did make changes to create the effect he desired. For example, 252 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:11,800 Speaker 2: the flag staffs are taller in the painting than they 253 00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 2: were in actuality, and there are fewer windows in the 254 00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:18,520 Speaker 2: bell tower than it actually had. And it also shows 255 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 2: the way that Caniletto's paintings are carefully laid out. They're 256 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:25,520 Speaker 2: not symmetrical, but they are sort of perfect in terms 257 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 2: of their perspective. In addition to the camera ottica, he 258 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 2: also had a studio filled with assistance to maintain his output. 259 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 2: One of his assistants was his nephew, Bernardo Belato, whose 260 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 2: mother was Caniletto's sister, Forenza. Balato became an expert in 261 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 2: replicating his uncle's technique and even signed Caniletto's name to 262 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:50,160 Speaker 2: some of his own work. This would lead to some 263 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:53,640 Speaker 2: problems not just for future art historians, but also in 264 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:55,400 Speaker 2: Caniletto's own lifetime. 265 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:59,520 Speaker 1: The painter's career was shifted in the seventeen forties, in 266 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 1: part by political events. The War of the Austrian Succession 267 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:06,920 Speaker 1: began in seventeen forty, and like many wars, it was 268 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:11,400 Speaker 1: really multiple conflicts grouped together. The catalyst was the death 269 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:14,760 Speaker 1: of Holy Roman Emperor Charles the sixth and seventeen forty. 270 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:18,520 Speaker 1: His daughter Maria Theresa, who was twenty three at the time, 271 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 1: assumed the throne, and this was all planned by Charles 272 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:25,960 Speaker 1: the Six, who had passed legislation even before Maria Theresa 273 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:29,119 Speaker 1: was born that stated that a daughter could inherit everything 274 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:33,320 Speaker 1: that was due to any male Habsburg descendant. And while 275 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:36,720 Speaker 1: many countries of Europe had sort of nodded along with 276 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:39,720 Speaker 1: this during Charles the Six's lifetime, the second he was 277 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:44,120 Speaker 1: gone they fought it. Maria Theresa, who is absolutely on 278 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 1: my list for a future episode. She is in case 279 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 1: you are wondering. Yes, Marie Antoinette's mother spent a lot 280 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 1: of her reign holding on to this tenuous seat of power, 281 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 1: and her early years were marked by a lot of 282 00:16:57,160 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 1: countries trying to unseat her, which is what the War 283 00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:04,119 Speaker 1: of the Austrian Succession was mostly about. It started when 284 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:08,159 Speaker 1: Prussia's King Frederic Theon invaded Silesia at the end of 285 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:14,719 Speaker 1: seventeen forty. Britain, Hanover and the Netherlands supported Maria Theresa. Prussia, France, 286 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:19,760 Speaker 1: Bavaria and Spain challenged her, and almost every permutation you 287 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 1: can name of those countries warring took place. Britain and 288 00:17:23,560 --> 00:17:27,919 Speaker 1: France were both really damaged by their participation in this conflict. 289 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:31,080 Speaker 1: There were battles fought as far away as North America 290 00:17:31,160 --> 00:17:34,439 Speaker 1: over it, and it dragged on for years. So what 291 00:17:34,520 --> 00:17:36,000 Speaker 1: does this have to do with Caneletto. 292 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:40,119 Speaker 2: Well, for a painter who was making the bulk of 293 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:44,440 Speaker 2: his money selling what were essentially very large souvenir postcards 294 00:17:44,440 --> 00:17:48,280 Speaker 2: to wealthy tourists who were visiting Venice, war been a 295 00:17:48,359 --> 00:17:52,200 Speaker 2: huge drop off in business. People were not traveling around 296 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:55,000 Speaker 2: Europe for leisure when most of the countries there were 297 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:58,520 Speaker 2: at war. But there were also some other matters impacting 298 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 2: Caneletto's business. He just wasn't doing the same kind of 299 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:05,879 Speaker 2: volume through art dealers that he had been. There are 300 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:09,159 Speaker 2: some accounts that I read that suggested like the market 301 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:11,880 Speaker 2: was blooded by by this time. They were like, yes, yes, 302 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 2: we all have a Caniletto. Now it's fine. And for 303 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:18,800 Speaker 2: another there was a new Vista painter on the scene 304 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:23,520 Speaker 2: named Michelle Marieski. How much these factors added to the problem, 305 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 2: It's not entirely clear, but that easy flow of income 306 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:29,879 Speaker 2: that Caniletto had enjoyed from the seventeen twenties through the 307 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:35,760 Speaker 2: seventeen thirties was suddenly significantly diminished. So Caniletto did several 308 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:39,960 Speaker 2: things encouraged by Joseph Smith. First, he started working in 309 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:45,119 Speaker 2: different mediums from painting, specifically drawing and etching. He had 310 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:48,360 Speaker 2: always sketched a part of his process, so his technique 311 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:51,240 Speaker 2: there was solid, but he did make some drawings that 312 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:54,600 Speaker 2: were a lot more detailed and intended his finished pieces. 313 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:58,040 Speaker 2: His works would start with a pencil drawing and then 314 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:02,399 Speaker 2: canileto drew over them with a willpen. Occasionally he added 315 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:04,280 Speaker 2: a brown color wash. 316 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:05,800 Speaker 1: These are mostly. 317 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:09,119 Speaker 2: Views of Venice, including the public squares, the churches, and 318 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 2: the Grand Canal. If you would like to see these 319 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 2: incredibly detailed drawings, the Royal Collection Trust Online has images 320 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:19,960 Speaker 2: of a lot of them, and this will also be 321 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:22,720 Speaker 2: included in the research section of the show. Notes you 322 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:25,200 Speaker 2: can see in the description of the show in your 323 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:27,080 Speaker 2: podcast player or on our website. 324 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:28,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, quick little link. 325 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:33,320 Speaker 2: Unlike drawing, etching was an entirely new skill for Caneletto 326 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:35,840 Speaker 2: to learn, and it's something that he took several years 327 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:39,320 Speaker 2: to master, but he did master it. It's actually a 328 00:19:39,359 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 2: little unclear exactly how long he was etching. The earliest 329 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:46,640 Speaker 2: dated etching we have of his is from seventeen forty one, 330 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:49,560 Speaker 2: but it is not believed to have been his first one. 331 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:53,200 Speaker 2: It's quite good and quite detailed. He published a collection 332 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:56,160 Speaker 2: of his etching prints that was dedicated to Smith and 333 00:19:56,520 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 2: named him as Console. And we know that Smith didn't 334 00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:02,040 Speaker 2: hold that poss that was one that he did come 335 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 2: into in Italy until seventeen forty four, so we know 336 00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:08,440 Speaker 2: that he was doing it for at least the pretty 337 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:11,760 Speaker 2: much the first half of the seventeen forties. The artist 338 00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:15,760 Speaker 2: also traveled in the early seventeen forties with his nephew Bernardo, 339 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:18,919 Speaker 2: leaving Venice to spend time in other parts of Italy. 340 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:22,680 Speaker 2: During this time, Joseph Smith also worked to drum up 341 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:27,320 Speaker 2: new interest in Caniletto's work, publishing up respectus that served 342 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:31,400 Speaker 2: sort of as a sample catalog for interested buyers to peruse. 343 00:20:32,119 --> 00:20:35,000 Speaker 2: Smith also commissioned a lot of new works from Canileto 344 00:20:35,119 --> 00:20:37,760 Speaker 2: during this time, with the intent that he would then 345 00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:42,320 Speaker 2: sell them to collectors. In the spring of seventeen forty six, 346 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:45,879 Speaker 2: Caniletto traveled to England while the war was still ongoing, 347 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 2: thinking that he would work there for a little while. 348 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:53,200 Speaker 2: He ended up staying for nine years. Caniletto biographer J. G. 349 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:56,000 Speaker 2: Lynks wrote of the start of this time in Caniletto's 350 00:20:56,040 --> 00:20:59,520 Speaker 2: life quote, the first five years of Caniletto's nine or 351 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:02,439 Speaker 2: ten years stay in England are by far the best 352 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:06,680 Speaker 2: documented of his life. Despite this, no one who met 353 00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 2: him has left any record of the meeting. Even so, 354 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:15,240 Speaker 2: the painter was reportedly very popular upon his arrival. He 355 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:17,879 Speaker 2: had so many clients in England who had been buying 356 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:21,560 Speaker 2: his work already, and Joseph Smith and Owen McSwiney, who 357 00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 2: at this point was living in London, had arranged for 358 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:26,480 Speaker 2: the artists to meet a number of people there who 359 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:27,720 Speaker 2: might be interested. 360 00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:27,960 Speaker 1: In his work. 361 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:32,439 Speaker 2: Because there were fake Canelettos floating around, thanks in part 362 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:36,040 Speaker 2: but not exclusively, to his nephew, and because he was 363 00:21:36,080 --> 00:21:40,359 Speaker 2: known to use assistance, and because he produced so many paintings, 364 00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:45,560 Speaker 2: rumors started to spread in London that Catiletto wasn't actually 365 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:49,639 Speaker 2: the great painter he claimed to be. Additionally, people started 366 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:53,720 Speaker 2: realizing that there were some instances where two paintings were 367 00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:57,520 Speaker 2: basically the same in terms of the backgrounds and perspective, 368 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:01,359 Speaker 2: and then they were differentiated by little details and people 369 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:05,280 Speaker 2: added to each of them. This fuelled the rumors and 370 00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:09,600 Speaker 2: it really bothered Canileto, so to address this situation. In 371 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:14,440 Speaker 2: July of seventeen forty nine, Canileto published an open invitation 372 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:17,600 Speaker 2: to his studio with a view of Saint James's Park, 373 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:21,040 Speaker 2: so anyone could come in and watch him work and 374 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:25,560 Speaker 2: know that he was genuinely painting the canvases attributed to him. 375 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:28,639 Speaker 2: This garnered him a few new commissions, but he hoped 376 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:32,119 Speaker 2: for more. He briefly returned to Venice for eight months 377 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:35,119 Speaker 2: and then was back in London. He printed a public 378 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 2: invite to an open house at his studio again in 379 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 2: seventeen fifty one. Over the next several years he made 380 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:45,960 Speaker 2: paintings for a number of aristocratic British families, including the 381 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 2: Lovelaces and political philosopher Thomas Hollis. 382 00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:53,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, there seemed to be a couple of different thoughts 383 00:22:54,040 --> 00:23:00,159 Speaker 1: on him not being either a the amazing painter that 384 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:03,359 Speaker 1: people thought he was, or be him not being the 385 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:06,480 Speaker 1: real Caniletto when he was in London. So he was 386 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:10,520 Speaker 1: just like, all right, everybody come over and watch, just 387 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:12,320 Speaker 1: watch me use my compass. You'll know. 388 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:16,560 Speaker 2: During Caniletto's time in Britain, he used his skills at 389 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:20,639 Speaker 2: painting large detailed vistas to capture images of London and 390 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:23,240 Speaker 2: scenes around the country, and we'll talk about one of 391 00:23:23,320 --> 00:23:25,679 Speaker 2: them after we hear from some of the sponsors that 392 00:23:25,760 --> 00:23:37,600 Speaker 2: keep stuff you missed in history class going. One of 393 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:41,040 Speaker 2: the most famous pieces Caniletto made while in Britain, which 394 00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:45,119 Speaker 2: he painted during his later years in London, is the interior. 395 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 1: Of the rotunda at Renlaw. This view is a little 396 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:52,080 Speaker 1: unusual for Caniletto because it's an interior and not an 397 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:57,480 Speaker 1: exterior vista, but it is a huge interior. The rotunda 398 00:23:57,560 --> 00:24:00,280 Speaker 1: of the Renlaw Gardens was a circular building that stood 399 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:02,960 Speaker 1: until it was demolished in eighteen oh five. It was 400 00:24:03,040 --> 00:24:06,440 Speaker 1: used for various entertainments, including concerts and balls. 401 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:10,640 Speaker 2: Though the subject was huge, the canvas for this painting 402 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:13,240 Speaker 2: was not, at least not as big as many of 403 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:17,720 Speaker 2: Canileto's other paintings. This one is forty seven by seventy 404 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 2: five point five centimeters that's about eighteen and a half 405 00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:25,000 Speaker 2: by thirty inches. Inside the rotunda, we see a central 406 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:28,600 Speaker 2: stage like structure that reaches from floor to ceiling, and 407 00:24:28,640 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 2: a tiered orchestra section on the right side shows musicians 408 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:36,359 Speaker 2: playing a concert. Chandeliers dangle from the ceiling, and the 409 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:40,679 Speaker 2: space is full of spectators and revelers. It's a beautiful 410 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:42,359 Speaker 2: and deeply detailed scene. 411 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:46,720 Speaker 1: I love it so much. Uh Interestingly, though, these paintings 412 00:24:46,760 --> 00:24:49,439 Speaker 1: are astounding, and how full they are with details, and 413 00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 1: how beautiful they are. The work that Caneletto did in 414 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 1: London was often criticized for just kind of being formulaic 415 00:24:56,119 --> 00:24:59,560 Speaker 1: and kind of wrote. Though his work had been all 416 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:02,840 Speaker 1: the race with British clients for years. The people who 417 00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:05,000 Speaker 1: had once clamored for his work and were willing to 418 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:08,720 Speaker 1: pay any price now wanted to haggle with him, or 419 00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:10,400 Speaker 1: they had just become disinterested. 420 00:25:11,160 --> 00:25:14,800 Speaker 2: Canileto made the move back to Venice in seventeen fifty five, 421 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:17,600 Speaker 2: and he was welcomed as something of a hometown hero. 422 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:21,320 Speaker 2: Although his paintings continued to be judged as kind of 423 00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:26,000 Speaker 2: lackluster compared to his earlier career, his drawings were still 424 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:30,920 Speaker 2: considered exceptional though. Additionally, Joseph Smith, who had so long 425 00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:34,040 Speaker 2: supported the artists, decided to get out of the Canileto game. 426 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:37,880 Speaker 2: He sold his entire collection of the Venetian painter's work 427 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:42,359 Speaker 2: to King George the Third in seventeen sixty two. Despite 428 00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:46,720 Speaker 2: his waning popularity, in seventeen sixty three, Caniletto was elected 429 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:51,280 Speaker 2: into the Venetian Academy in seventeen sixty six. He notated 430 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:53,879 Speaker 2: on one of his paintings that he had completed it 431 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:56,720 Speaker 2: at the age of sixty eight and without the need 432 00:25:56,760 --> 00:26:00,760 Speaker 2: for glasses, which is pretty charming. But though he may 433 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:03,720 Speaker 2: not have needed spectacles as he aged, Caniletto was not 434 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:07,359 Speaker 2: immortal in seventeen sixty eight, so two years after he 435 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:10,280 Speaker 2: painted that painting, at the age of seventy, he developed 436 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:15,399 Speaker 2: a bladder inflammation that proved fatal. According to biographer JG. Lynks, 437 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:19,280 Speaker 2: he left behind quote twenty eight medium and small pictures 438 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:22,639 Speaker 2: of which nothing is known, some old clothes, and the 439 00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:26,520 Speaker 2: most modest household goods. He had the equivalent of some 440 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:30,120 Speaker 2: eighty pounds sterling in cash, and still owns a property 441 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:32,880 Speaker 2: he had bought for twenty one hundred and fifty ducats. 442 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:37,199 Speaker 2: This was hardly the fortune that some people probably expected, 443 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:40,320 Speaker 2: given how often it had been claimed that Caniletto had 444 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:44,560 Speaker 2: charged such exorbitant prices for his work. One of Holly's 445 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:48,760 Speaker 2: favorite lines that she came across while researching this was 446 00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:53,399 Speaker 2: from Encyclopedia Britannica, and it read quote Caniletto had no 447 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:57,600 Speaker 2: serious rivals. He's often characterized as having been sort of 448 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:00,879 Speaker 2: an egotistical figure due to knowing that no one else 449 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:03,800 Speaker 2: was doing what he was doing at the skill level 450 00:27:03,880 --> 00:27:07,040 Speaker 2: he possessed. But there was also an interesting note in 451 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:10,119 Speaker 2: that nineteen eighty nine catalog from the met that we 452 00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:15,160 Speaker 2: mentioned earlier. It references the agent Marcasini, who managed deals 453 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:18,560 Speaker 2: for Caniletto in the early days of his career. In 454 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:24,080 Speaker 2: this specific instance, JG. Lynx is talking about Marcasini's correspondence 455 00:27:24,200 --> 00:27:28,240 Speaker 2: with a man named Stefanoconti, who was interested in Caniletto's 456 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:32,920 Speaker 2: paintings early in his career. Lynx writes, quote, not all 457 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:37,000 Speaker 2: of it is necessarily to be trusted. Marcasini was an agent, 458 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:40,040 Speaker 2: and there were certain things he wanted Kanti to believe, 459 00:27:40,280 --> 00:27:43,520 Speaker 2: among them the idea that Caniletto was a difficult man 460 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:47,200 Speaker 2: who had to be humored. So some of this reputation 461 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:50,200 Speaker 2: may have come from nothing more than haggling. It was 462 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:53,960 Speaker 2: a tool to get prospective buyers to just finish a 463 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:58,679 Speaker 2: deal and stop fussing over other various questions. Yes, you 464 00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:01,320 Speaker 2: do not haggle with the Great Caletto. He's very difficult, 465 00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:04,840 Speaker 2: and if you want the painting to take it, so 466 00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:08,639 Speaker 2: we don't really know. And additionally, there is so much 467 00:28:08,720 --> 00:28:12,719 Speaker 2: that we don't really know about Caniletto. Still, there are 468 00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:16,119 Speaker 2: likely quite a few of his paintings that remain unattributed 469 00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:19,040 Speaker 2: because of that souvenir nature of his work. Early on, 470 00:28:19,880 --> 00:28:23,440 Speaker 2: he was churning out just so much work for so long. 471 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:27,280 Speaker 2: We know he completed more than a thousand works, but 472 00:28:27,320 --> 00:28:30,000 Speaker 2: there may be more lost to time or sitting in 473 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:35,240 Speaker 2: storage somewhere. Even in the immediate aftermath of the artist's death, 474 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:39,440 Speaker 2: the Venetian Academy had difficulty discerning if some of the 475 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:43,400 Speaker 2: paintings that were given to the institution were genuine. That 476 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:47,120 Speaker 2: is a problem that is ongoing. So perhaps he'll show 477 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:51,040 Speaker 2: up in unearthed to future editions, maybe as people go. 478 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 2: M No, that wasn't a Canileto. Oh that one was 479 00:28:54,600 --> 00:28:58,440 Speaker 2: that one? Do you have some listener mail for us? 480 00:28:58,720 --> 00:28:59,280 Speaker 2: I do. 481 00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:02,480 Speaker 1: I have one that is so delightful and made my 482 00:29:02,520 --> 00:29:05,520 Speaker 1: heart so happy. It is from our listener Nicole, who writes, 483 00:29:05,560 --> 00:29:08,280 Speaker 1: Dear Tracy and Holly, just a note to say thank you. 484 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:11,560 Speaker 1: I recently listened to the roller Coaster episode followed by 485 00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:14,520 Speaker 1: your Behind the Scenes on roller Coasters. This was just 486 00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:18,200 Speaker 1: the week before our family vacation to Disney and Universal Studios. 487 00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:21,120 Speaker 1: I have never been a fan of roller coasters because 488 00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:24,400 Speaker 1: of my intense anxiety and fear of heights. This is 489 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:27,720 Speaker 1: much unlike my husband, who, having a grandfather who designed 490 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:31,240 Speaker 1: and built coasters for Cedar Point, loves them. We have 491 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:34,640 Speaker 1: three children, ages ten, thirteen, and fifteen. Through the years, 492 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:38,080 Speaker 1: I have struggled to hide my heights flying coaster anxiety 493 00:29:38,120 --> 00:29:39,960 Speaker 1: from them. I don't want them to be afraid. I 494 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:42,720 Speaker 1: want them to have so much fun. Nicole, I am 495 00:29:42,760 --> 00:29:44,160 Speaker 1: crying because that's so sweet. 496 00:29:44,760 --> 00:29:47,160 Speaker 2: Leading up to our trip, I did ride research to 497 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:50,440 Speaker 2: plan what I could tolerate. I desperately wanted to ride Guardians, 498 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:53,200 Speaker 2: but anything I read or heard about it terrified me 499 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:55,280 Speaker 2: until Holly's description. 500 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:58,200 Speaker 1: And I'm so thankful. The Guardians of the Galaxy movies 501 00:29:58,240 --> 00:30:00,520 Speaker 1: make me feel so joyful. I just had to get on. 502 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:02,760 Speaker 1: The days leading up to it, I was able to 503 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:05,680 Speaker 1: warm up with Sleeky Dog and Mind Train, both really 504 00:30:05,680 --> 00:30:08,640 Speaker 1: difficult for me. This is very sweet. Those are considered, 505 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:11,440 Speaker 1: you know, kind of lighter roller coasters, but I understand 506 00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:14,280 Speaker 1: I can't do all of them either. The final day, 507 00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:16,719 Speaker 1: we were able to get into the queue. I marched 508 00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:19,240 Speaker 1: in with a whole lot of fake confidence, reminding myself 509 00:30:19,240 --> 00:30:21,440 Speaker 1: that Holly said it was beautiful, and I got on 510 00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:22,320 Speaker 1: that ride. 511 00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:24,720 Speaker 2: Now it went faster than I'm used to and I 512 00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:27,080 Speaker 2: don't love dark rides, but I did it, and I 513 00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:29,440 Speaker 2: could do it again. Those Guardians made me smile, and 514 00:30:29,480 --> 00:30:31,880 Speaker 2: I was singing one way or another all week long. 515 00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:33,920 Speaker 2: There is a thing whereas you ride that roller coaster, 516 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:36,680 Speaker 2: you sing whatever song you got all week long. I 517 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:39,480 Speaker 2: did not have the courage to ride Tron or Hagrid's motorbike. 518 00:30:39,600 --> 00:30:42,200 Speaker 2: It doesn't matter. I'm so proud of myself for doing it. 519 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:45,120 Speaker 2: My kids were proud of me too. I'm hoping this 520 00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:48,240 Speaker 2: is just the beginning of pushing limits. Thank you, Thank you, Nicole. 521 00:30:48,320 --> 00:30:50,600 Speaker 2: I'm crying through this whole read because I'm so proud 522 00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:53,880 Speaker 2: of you. It's amazing. So this email came while you 523 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:56,640 Speaker 2: were out. I think you were in London. I think 524 00:30:56,680 --> 00:30:58,680 Speaker 2: this is why you were in London. But we got 525 00:30:58,680 --> 00:31:02,720 Speaker 2: this email and another email that I was so delighted by. 526 00:31:02,880 --> 00:31:06,520 Speaker 2: They back to back, and as soon as you got 527 00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:10,480 Speaker 2: back from your trip, I was like, Holly, have you 528 00:31:10,640 --> 00:31:14,400 Speaker 2: read the Guardians of the Galaxy roller Coaster email and 529 00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:16,680 Speaker 2: you were like, no, I have not, And I was like, 530 00:31:16,720 --> 00:31:17,680 Speaker 2: stop what you're doing. 531 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:21,680 Speaker 1: Go read it right now. You'll cry and cry, and 532 00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:26,640 Speaker 1: I did. I am. I'm seriously so proud of you, Nicole. 533 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:27,640 Speaker 1: It's amazing. 534 00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:30,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was a great, great, Thank you so much 535 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:33,080 Speaker 2: for sharing that with us. Yes, if you would like 536 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:35,320 Speaker 2: to share things that might make me cry feel free, 537 00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:39,160 Speaker 2: you can do that at History Podcast at iHeartRadio dot com. 538 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:41,480 Speaker 2: You can also find us on social media at Miston 539 00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:44,040 Speaker 2: History and if you don't subscribed yet. 540 00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:45,160 Speaker 1: We encourage you to do that. 541 00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:47,880 Speaker 2: You can do that on the iHeartRadio app or wherever 542 00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:55,600 Speaker 2: you listen to your favorite podcasts. Stuff you missed in 543 00:31:55,680 --> 00:31:59,360 Speaker 2: History Class is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts 544 00:31:59,360 --> 00:32:03,520 Speaker 2: from iHeart visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 545 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:05,080 Speaker 2: you listen to your favorite shows.