Latest news with #Canaletto
Euronews
02-07-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Canaletto masterpiece sells for record €37.8m at Christie's London
A work depicting Venice by 18th-century Italian painter Canaletto has set a new auction record for the artist, selling for £27.5m (€32.6m) - or £31.9m (€37.8m) with fees - at Christie's in London. Titled Venice, the Return of the Bucintoro on Ascension Day (c.1732) and once owned by Britain's first prime minister Robert Walpole, the work exceeded its estimate of $20m. Measuring 86 x 138cm, it's the largest major Canaletto to hit the market in two decades and was bought by a phone bidder via Christie's director Alice de Roquemaurel. The painting was last sold at auction in 1993 for 66m French francs (£7.5m/€12.2m), setting a record in France. Its companion piece sold at Sotheby's in 2005 for £18.6m (€22m), the previous record for a Canaletto. Check out the video above for footage and interviews.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Canaletto work owned by first UK PM sells for record
A painting of Venice by the Italian artist Canaletto which was once owned by the UK's first prime minister has been sold for a record fee. Venice, the Return of the Bucintoro on Ascension Day - painted around 1732 - was sold to an anonymous bidder for £27.5m (£31.9m with fees) at Christie's in London on Tuesday, setting a new auction record for the artist. The painting was hung on the walls of Number 10 Downing Street during Sir Robert Walpole's tenure from 1721 to 1742. Christie's global head of the Old Masters Department, Andrew Fletcher, said the artwork was "unquestionably the greatest work by the artist to have come to the market in a generation". "Seldom does a true masterpiece such as this - particularly by a painter as important as Canaletto - appear on the art market," he said. "This extraordinary painting of the grandest and most familiar view of Venice, by the city's most recognisable painter, dates to Canaletto's finest period and is as notable for its illustrious provenance as much as for its impeccable condition." The oil on canvas artwork was last sold at an auction in Paris in 1993, fetching what was then a record-breaking 66 million French francs (£7.5m). It formerly came with a partnering pendant, entitled Grand Canal from Palazzo Balbi to the Rialto, which was later sold at Sotheby's in London in 2005 for £18.6m - which was the previous record auction price for a Canaletto. The painting had been expected to sell for around £20m this time around, but exceeded expectations. Canaletto, real name Giovanni Antonio Canal, was born in Venice in 1697 and went on to become a favourite of British art collectors. It is not known how Sir Robert acquired his work but it is though that his son Edward helped to arrange the art deal after having spent time in Venice. The Feast of the Ascension of Christ was a key date in the Venetian calendar until the fall of the Venice Republic in 1797. It would see the Doge of Venice - the elected head of state - use his official galley, Bucintoro, to sail out and cast a ring into the water as a symbol of Venice's marriage to the sea.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Canaletto work owned by first UK PM sells for record
A painting of Venice by the Italian artist Canaletto which was once owned by the UK's first prime minister has been sold for a record fee. Venice, the Return of the Bucintoro on Ascension Day - painted around 1732 - was sold to an anonymous bidder for £27.5m (£31.9m with fees) at Christie's in London on Tuesday, setting a new auction record for the artist. The painting was hung on the walls of Number 10 Downing Street during Sir Robert Walpole's tenure from 1721 to 1742. Christie's global head of the Old Masters Department, Andrew Fletcher, said the artwork was "unquestionably the greatest work by the artist to have come to the market in a generation". "Seldom does a true masterpiece such as this - particularly by a painter as important as Canaletto - appear on the art market," he said. "This extraordinary painting of the grandest and most familiar view of Venice, by the city's most recognisable painter, dates to Canaletto's finest period and is as notable for its illustrious provenance as much as for its impeccable condition." The oil on canvas artwork was last sold at an auction in Paris in 1993, fetching what was then a record-breaking 66 million French francs (£7.5m). It formerly came with a partnering pendant, entitled Grand Canal from Palazzo Balbi to the Rialto, which was later sold at Sotheby's in London in 2005 for £18.6m - which was the previous record auction price for a Canaletto. The painting had been expected to sell for around £20m this time around, but exceeded expectations. Canaletto, real name Giovanni Antonio Canal, was born in Venice in 1697 and went on to become a favourite of British art collectors. It is not known how Sir Robert acquired his work but it is though that his son Edward helped to arrange the art deal after having spent time in Venice. The Feast of the Ascension of Christ was a key date in the Venetian calendar until the fall of the Venice Republic in 1797. It would see the Doge of Venice - the elected head of state - use his official galley, Bucintoro, to sail out and cast a ring into the water as a symbol of Venice's marriage to the sea.
BBC News
02-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Canaletto Venice painting owned by first UK prime minister sells for record £32m
A painting of Venice by the Italian artist Canaletto which was once owned by the UK's first prime minister has been sold for a record fee. Venice, the Return of the Bucintoro on Ascension Day - painted around 1732 - was sold to an anonymous bidder for £27.5m (£31.9m with fees) at Christie's in London on Tuesday, setting a new auction record for the painting was hung on the walls of Number 10 Downing Street during Sir Robert Walpole's tenure from 1721 to global head of the Old Masters Department, Andrew Fletcher, said the artwork was "unquestionably the greatest work by the artist to have come to the market in a generation". "Seldom does a true masterpiece such as this - particularly by a painter as important as Canaletto - appear on the art market," he said."This extraordinary painting of the grandest and most familiar view of Venice, by the city's most recognisable painter, dates to Canaletto's finest period and is as notable for its illustrious provenance as much as for its impeccable condition."The oil on canvas artwork was last sold at an auction in Paris in 1993, fetching what was then a record-breaking 66 million French francs (£7.5m).It formerly came with a partnering pendant, entitled Grand Canal from Palazzo Balbi to the Rialto, which was later sold at Sotheby's in London in 2005 for £18.6m - which was the previous record auction price for a painting had been expected to sell for around £20m this time around, but exceeded real name Giovanni Antonio Canal, was born in Venice in 1697 and went on to become a favourite of British art collectors. It is not known how Sir Robert acquired his work but it is though that his son Edward helped to arrange the art deal after having spent time in Feast of the Ascension of Christ was a key date in the Venetian calendar until the fall of the Venice Republic in would see the Doge of Venice - the elected head of state - use his official galley, Bucintoro, to sail out and cast a ring into the water as a symbol of Venice's marriage to the sea.
Telegraph
02-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Painting once owned by first British prime minister fetches record fee
A Canaletto painting of Venice owned by Britain's first prime minister has fetched a new auction record for the artist. Venice, the Return of the Bucintoro on Ascension Day (c. 1732), was sold to an anonymous bidder for £27.5 million (£31.9 million with fees) at Christie's in London last night. The painting adorned the walls of Number 10 Downing Street during the 20 year tenure of Sir Robert Walpole, in the 1700s. Andrew Fletcher, Christie's global head of the Old Masters Department, said the piece was 'unquestionably the greatest work by the artist to have come to the market in a generation.' He said: 'Seldom does a true masterpiece such as this – particularly by a painter as important as Canaletto – appear on the art market. 'This extraordinary painting of the grandest and most familiar view of Venice, by the city's most recognisable painter, dates to Canaletto's finest period and is as notable for its illustrious provenance as much as for its impeccable condition.' Christie's King Street headquarters had been decorated with a reproduction of the painting in the lead up to Tuesday's Old Masters Evening Sale, where the Venetian's work had been expected to fetch £20 million. The oil on canvas artwork was formerly accompanied by a pendant showing The Grand Canal, looking north-east from Palazzo Balbi to the Rialto Bridge. The pair had remained together until Venice, the Return of the Bucintoro on Ascension Day, was last sold at Paris auction house Ader Tajan in 1993. Appearing at auction for the first time in nearly 250 years, the Venetian's work fetched 66 million French francs (£7.5m), setting a record for an Old Master sold at auction in France. The pendant, Grand Canal from Palazzo Balbi to the Rialto, was later sold at Sotheby's in London in 2005, for £18.6m, which was formerly the record auction price for a Canaletto. Discovery The painting's presence in Sir Robert's collection was first noticed by British Art historian Sir Oliver, who discovered a reference in the 1736 manuscript catalogue of paintings at 10 Downing Street and in the 1751 auction catalogue when they were sold by Sir Robert's grandson, George. While it is not known when Sir Robert acquired the Canaletto, it is likely that his son, Edward, facilitated the deal after his time spent in Venice between 1730 and 1731. Purchase of the paintings may have been prompted by the refurbishment of 10 Downing Street in 1732-35 after the residence was offered to Sir Robert by King George II in 1732. Falling on the fortieth day after Easter Sunday, the Feast of the Ascension of Christ was a staple of the Venetian calendar until the fall of the Republic in 1797. On this day alone would the Doge use Bucintoro, the official galley of the Doge of Venice and a symbol of the Serenissima, to sail out to the lido and cast a ring into the water as a symbol of Venice's marriage to the sea. The vessel depicted in Canaletto's work, the last to be made at the Arsenale, was designed by Stefano Conti, and decorated by the sculptor Antonio Corradini. Giovanni Antonio Canal, known as Canaletto, was born in Venice in 1697. He became a favourite of British collectors, visiting England repeatedly between 1746 and 1756.
