(Venice 1730–1799) The Canale Grande with Santa Maria della Carità in the foreground and Santa Maria della Salute with the Dogana in the background, oil on canvas, 40 x 59 cm, framed,

Provenance: Collinge Collection, Kinnerton Lodge/Cheshire;

Certificate: Dario Succi, Gorizia (January 2010).

Gabriele Bella belonged to the second generation of Venetian veduti painters, whose early work was strongly influenced by the oeuvres of Canaletto and Bellotto. Probably the most famous works by the artist, who entered the painters' ‘fraglia’ around 1760, are the lively scenes of Venetian life in the Fondazione Querini Stampalia, Venice. As a protegé of the powerful Giustiniani family, in whose palazzo he resided for many years, he produced a great variety of views depicting Venetian festivals, ceremonies and key buildings for his patrons. The present picture should be numbered amongst these works. Aside from the well-known buildings in the background, the Church of Santa Maria della Salute and the Dogana, Bella also portrayed the Church of Santa Maria della Carità in the foreground. Its original Gothic facade, known to us from Canaletto's work, can also be seen here. It was replaced by a modern facade around 1760, so we can identify this as an early work by Bella. Santa Maria della Carità had one of the oldest confraternities (scuole) of the city and today houses the Galleria dell’ Accademia.

Provenance: Collinge Collection, Kinnerton Lodge/Cheshire; Certificate: Dario Succi, Gorizia (January 2010). Gabriele Bella belonged to the second generation of Venetian veduti painters, whose early work was strongly influenced by the oeuvres of Canaletto