Jewels of Settecento Venice dazzle at the Academy of San Fernando

[A quick and loose translation from a recent piece in El País.]

The Piazza San Marco, the Ducal Palace, the Temple of Santa Maria of the Salvation, gondolas plying under the bridge of the Academy… Few cities seduce as much as Venice. And at no time has La Serenissima been portrayed with as much fascination as during the Settecento, the Italian 18th century. The Venetian republic faced the decline of its fortunes, but the arts exploded in a spectacular blaze. More than 350 artists flourished at the time, of which more than a hundred are considered of the first rank. Tiepolo, Canaletto, Ricci, Guardi, Cimaroli are some of the best known names, but there were many more.

On 25 March 2009, La Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in Madrid opened an exhibition of the finest works of the Venetian Settecento. Titled From Baroque to Neoclassicism, and sponsored by the Fundación Banco Santander, fifty-seven paintings are on display, as well as authentic jewellery of the period. 80% of the artworks, from private collections and public foundations, have never been exhibited in Spain, and indeed most have never left Italy before.

The curator, Analisa Scarpa, explains that this is the most complete exhibition ever in Spain dedicated to the Settecento. “It was a period of renewal of the formulation of painting. Light and colour enter the process during this period as never before.”

Michele Marieschi. (Venice, 1710 - 1743). Veduta of the basin of San Marco with the Palazzo Ducale. Oil on canvas. 106 x 134 cm. Terruzzi Collection.

Gian Battista Cimaroli (Salò, 1687 - 1771). The Running of the Bulls in the plaza of San Marco. Oil on canvas. 160 x 205 cm. Teruzzi Collection.

Giovanni Antonio Canal, a.k.a Canaletto (Venice, 1697 - 1768). View of the Grand Canal and the Basilica of St Mary of Salvation. Oil on canvas. 72 x 112.5 cm. Terruzzi Collection.

Gian Antonio Guardi (Vienna, 1699 - Venice, 1760). 'Triumph of Scipio Africanus'. Oil on canvas. 155.5 x 202.5 cm. Private Collection, Milan.

Giacopo Amigoni (Venice, 1682 - Madrid, 1752). 'Diana and nymphs bathing'. Oil on canvas. 122 x 158 cm. Terruzzi Collection.

Rosalba Carriera (Venice, 1675-1757). 'Picture as a child (William Hamilton)'. Pastel on paper 30.5 x 27 cm. Private Collection.

Venus and Adonis by Sebastiano Ricci (Belluno, 1659 - Venice, 1734). Oil on canvas. 105 x 151.5cm. Terruzzi Collection

Gian Battista Pittoni (Venice, 1687 - 1767). 'Olindo and Sofronia'. Oil on canvas. 114 x 146 cm. Civic Museum, Vicenza.