Evening star., 1944-03-05
By Leila Mechin

AAHc NdeAOuoA 1d14CAy Va fAt A0s
lately received four very engaging
paintings Of Venice, to suitably dis.
play which it has opened an addi.
tional room in the section assigned
to works by italian artists in the
southeast gallery tier.
Two of these are indefinite loans
and two are permanent possessions
The former are the property Of Mrs
Cary Grant (Barbara Hutton) OF
Beverly Hills, Calf; the latter
were included in Mr.. Joseph E
Widener's original gift but have only
Just been transferred to the custody
Of the National Gallery.
Three of these paintings are by
Canaletto and one is by Guardi, both
of whom lived in Venice during the
18th century, and. through their
works, strengthened, as well as con-
tinued, the great tradition created
by the Venetian School in the days
Of Titan, Bellini, Tintoretto, We
ronese and others. These 18th CEN
tury painters, however, gave them
selves entirely to recording for all
time the sheer loveliness of the city
in which they dweft. The Bride OF
the Adriatic," which, despite chang
ing times and world calamities, has
never lost its charm.
The paintings by Canaletto, lent
by Mrs. - Grant, are exceptionally
large and at the same time i'm
portant. Measuring approximately
s by 8 feet in dimensions, they
jointly occupy one entire wall IN the
gallery in which they are shown
One shows the famous inner court
OF the Ducal Palace when a process
sion in honor of q papal legate, was
In progress. Hundreds Of persons
gayly dressed, are shown in at
tendance; some In line leading into
the palace, others standing about
looking on, or in conversation, a
memorable scene on which the bluest
of blue skies looks down. The walls
of the palace to the left are yelled
in shadow; those to the right, il
Illuminated by warm, caresSing SUM-
shine; both are rendered, as Is that
to the rear, with amazing fidelity of
detail.
Master of Perspective
Canaletto was especially famous
for his mastery of perspective and
his power to interpret gradations
of light in such wise, that the scene
which he set forth was glorified, as
by heaven itself. But also they were
snlivened by the presence Of people
not dragged in but as an essential
part of the composition. A writer In
~Bryan's Dictionary of Painters
and Engravers" states that almost
all the figures in Canaletto's works
were done by Tiepolo, but that seems
scarcely possible, inasmuch as Tie
polo had more work painting murals
for Italian churches than he could
possibly do, and, having been left a
fortune by his father, had as much
money as he could want or require.
Furthermore, the figures in Cana
letto's paintings are so much a part
OF the scenes presented that it is
hard to believe any other hand,
but his could have placed them so
skillfully.
For example, take the second
painting lent by Mrs. Grant, which
is Of fete on the Grand Canal,
viewed from the water, with the
Piazza San Marco as background.
The water is swarming with boats
of many kinds, the gondolas of the
wealthy mobiles, carved and gilded,
boats with lazy but colorful sails, a
merchantmen from overseas, home
ly little boats of the market men
and others. To the left, towers a
corner of the Custom House, framing
in the composition. In the sweet,
pale sunshine lies the Palace of the
Doges, the Campanile, St. Marks
and the Library. The whole of this
stupendous composition is enriched
and enlived by touches of color
provided in the costumes of the
people, red here, green there, orange
and purple. Could any one but he
who envisioned the scene known