WILLIAM JAMES (London doc. 1746-1771), attributed. "The Grand Canal of Venice, with a procession entering Santa Maria della Salute", 18th century. O

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Classics XIX and XX

By Setdart Auction House

May 18, 2021

Set Reminder 2021-05-18 09:30:00 2021-05-18 09:30:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Classics XIX and XX https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/setdart-auction-house/classics-xix-and-xx-6961
The next 18th May there will be a 19th and 20th Century Classics Auction at Setdart.com There will be a select repertoire of important artists such as Carlos Cruz Diez, Luis Feito, Joan Miró, Fernando Botero, Josep Llimona, Salvador Dalí among others. Setdart Auction House sofia@setdart.com

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• Lot Description
  Attributed to WILLIAM JAMES (London doc. 1746-1771) "The Grand Canal of Venice, with a procession entering Santa Maria della Salute", 18th century. Oil on canvas. Original frame. Measurements: 75 x 126 cm .; 86 x 137 cm. (Frame). This is a Venetian veduta endowed with unusual virtuosity, both compositionally, technically and formally. A wide panoramic view opens onto the great canal, flanked by the campanile of St. Mark's Square and the Doge's Palace on the left, and the imposing church of Santa Maria della Salute on the right. Gondolas and boats of all kinds ply the canal. Precious detail and narrative zeal are combined in the individualized description of the gondolas that cross the canal (some are humble, others are covered with gold, etc.), as well as the variety of characters (villagers, nobles, ecclesiastics who walk in procession towards the church door...). A limpid sky illuminates the immense scene, giving shape to every detail: the figures sculpted in the niches, the rhythmic vibration of the water, the liturgical costumes... The art of the miniaturist harmonizes with that of the landscape painter, following in the footsteps of the great master and inventor of the Venetian vedutismo genre, Canaletto (1697-1768). Canaletto lived in London between 1746 and 1756, thanks to the English Consul Smith, who was responsible for the diffusion of the Grand Tour among the British. William James (active in London between 1746 and 1771) was Canaletto's pupil at this time, getting to know his style first hand and producing several veduti without having visited the city. The painting in question shows numerous correspondences with paintings by Canaletto such as "Il gran Canal verso il bacino di san Marco" and The Grand Canal with Santa Maria della Salute from the English Royal Collection. Likewise, the canvas by William James preserved in the Francesco Borgogna Museum (Vercelli) entitled "Canal grande e la chiesa della Salute" shows a great compositional resemblance, both in the variety of details and in the way of capturing the clear and Mediterranean atmosphere.Few data are preserved on the career of William James (extracted from the compendium of Edward Edwards "Anecdotes of painters" 1808). We know, however, that he was a pupil of Canaletto in London and that he exhibited in the English capital between 1761 and 1771 and that in 1766 he was a member of the Society of Artists, and it has also been possible to link his name with a series of paintings (both Venetian and London themed) held in private collections around the world and important institutions such as Dixon Gallery and Gardens in Tennessee.
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