European Museums visit 2023

Kunsthistorische Museum, Vienna

• Saw paintings by Bernardo Bellotto who was nephew and student of Canaletto hence the similarity to his cityscapes. At first glance could be mistaken for Canaletto but all his works are darker. There were seven paintings there. His contrast of light and dark, particularly in intimate backstreet scenes, is better than his expansive views of palaces and grounds, though the picture of Schönbrunn Palace is very good. Two particularly good ones are Vienna, Dominican Church, and The Freyung in Vienna viewed from south east.
• There were two works by Canaletto and both are smaller than most of his works - about 24” x 18”. The Dogana in Venice is excellent. It has a great overall lightness to it with subtle shadows. Riva degli Schiavoni in Venice I found has too much the same lightness overall with very little gradation to shadow. It is an interesting composition but too much sky.

Uffizi Gallery, Florence

San Marco Museum, Florence

Bargello Museum, Florence

Musea Brugge, Bruges

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Frans Hals Museum

Cityscapes and interiors by Gerrit Berckheyde of Haarlem were much like a Dutch version of Canaletto, though Berckheyde as a few interior spaces as well.

Saw a few still lifes that were very good.