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Promoting Natural & Cultural History
TYPE: | Image |
DATE: | 1750 |
ARTIST: | Canaletto (Giovanni Antonio Canal, 1697-1768) |
AUTHOR: | Viveka Hansen |
PHOTOGRAPHER: | Google Art Project |
CAT/REF NUMBER: | RCIN 400504 |
COLLECTION(S): | Royal Collection, London (Canaletto 1750-1751). |
REFERENCE(S): | • Hansen, Viveka, Textilia Linnaeana – Global 18th Century Textile Traditions & Trade, London 2017 (p. 53). |
ADDED: | 02/03/2018 |
iFELLOW: | Viveka Hansen |
JOURNALS ETC: | Linnaeus Apostles Global Science & Adventure, Volume 3, Book 1, Page 228 |
CONTENT: | This oil on canvas by Canaletto – ‘The Thames from Somerset House Terrace towards the City’ – shows parts of London ca 1750-51 as the naturalist Pehr Kalm mentioned several times in his journal; particularly the Thames on which he both arrived and departed on by ship, how the Londoners were dressed, St Paul’s Cathedral and the city’s many church towers. However Kalm’s description gives a drab impression compared to the painting’s brightness, for example he noted on 29 April 1748: ‘Around noon I went up into the church tower of St Paul’s with Mr Warner and Captain Shierman to see the view from there around London... From its uppermost gallery one would have had a beautiful view in all directions, if only the air had been clear; but the thick coal smoke that hung over the city on every side obstructed the view in a number of places; from here one could count quite a large number of churches here in London, namely a few more than sixty, that is to say those that had towers and could be distinguished from other large buildings...’ |
GEO-LOCATION: | WGS84(51.32884, -0.05836) |