The Rialto Bridge in Venice. Reconstruction of Andrea Palladio’s project by a “capriccio” of Canaletto.

Abstract

This study analyzes the architectonic “capriccio” built by Canaletto in 1742: Rialto with project of Andrea Palladio and other palladian buildings. The research investigates the painting about the perspective representation and the threedimensional reconstruction of the second project of 1569 by Andrea Palladio for the Rialto bridge in Venice. This architectural concept was never realized and appears to be the main theme of the work of Canaletto. This “capriccio” can be regarded as one of the first architectural photomontages of the history.