Page 42Page 43
Page 42
about the story of Jacob, probably to decorate his villa in Mogliano.It was Smith’s close relationship with Canaletto which made his collection unique. This began in the 1720s and developed into an unoffi cial partnership – a working relationship that was to last for more than 30 years. Smith promoted Canaletto’s work and acted as a useful intermediary between the hard-pressed artist, who had a reputation for being ‘diffi cult’, and his British patrons. Smith did not have exclusive rights to Canaletto’s work, but directed most of his output, arranging framing and transport. He also commissioned a large number of paintings for himself – far more than the 53 today in the Royal Collection – as well as drawings (about 143) and etchings (about 35). Canaletto painted sets or series of paintings for his clients. In the case of Smith, these could be planned carefully in terms of composition and lighting to work in specifi c rooms in Smith’s palazzo. The large six early views of the Piazza and Piazzetta of San Marco painted in the early 1720s have the principal weight of architecture on either the right or the left. This was followed by a set of 12 paintings of the Grand Canal, with two festivals in a larger format added to the series. All 14 paintings were displayed in Smith’s palazzo where his many visitors could marvel at Canaletto’s abilities, and with a bit of luck order their own versions from Smith. Smith also commissioned the engraver, painter and architect Antonio Visentini to produce a set of prints after the Grand Canal series which acted in part as a catalogue for prospective buyers. An example of the close relationship between artist and patron is Canaletto’s view of the Canal looking north-west from near the Rialto bridge. This is the central point of the fi ctive journey up or down the Grand Canal in Canaletto’s series – and the fourth palace on the right bank in his painting is the Palazzo Mangilli-Valmarana, formerly Palazzo Balbi, where Smith lived. Smith had leased it from the Balbi family until 1740 when he was able to purchase it, commissioning Visentini to remodel the Gothic façade in the Palladian style. Smith then asked Canaletto to update his painting, which Canaletto probably did on his return to Venice in 1753. The different style of the façade, with architectural detail incised into the wet paint, stands out from the rest. Over the age of 80 and with his fi nancial affairs in decline, Smith embarked on negotiations for the sale of his collection to the young George III, who had acceded to the throne in 1760, aged 22. A great bibliophile, the King was most interested in Smith’s library to add to his own growing collection. In 1762 George III purchased Buckingham House to be his principal London home and when Smith’s collection arrived in 1763 much of it was immediately put to good use, with some of the large works by Canaletto, Visentini and Zuccarelli hung in the Hall. Once derided, Consul Smith must have gloried in the success of the sale, which meant his collection remained largely intact and was now adorning another much more prestigious palace of another great, rising maritime state. ■Below: Sebastiano Ricci, The Adoration of the Magi, 1726, one of a set of seven works commissioned for Smith’s palaceVISITOR INFORMATIONCanaletto & The Art of VeniceMay 19–November 12, 2017The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham PalaceAddress: Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1A 1AAwww.royalcollection.org.ukOpen: daily, 10am–5.30pmAdmission: £11/£10 senior citizens/ £5.50 concessionsNearest tube: Victoria/Green Park/Hyde Park CornerInformation for groups: Special visits and private tours are available for groups of more than 15. Email groupbookings@royalcollection.org.uk or see the websiteFacilities: Fully accessible, wheelchairs available for hire, small mobility scooters permitted. Shop. Nearest parking is on Palace Street42 NADFAS REVIEW / SPRING 2017 www.nadfas.org.ukQUEEN’S GALLERY