Federico del Campo

Sale: Sotheby's, London, 19 March 1986, lot 42
MacConnal-Mason ltd, London (purchased at the above sale)
Acquired by the mother of the present owner in the US, circa the 1980s; thence by descent

The canvas has been lined and is securely attached to a keyed wooden stretcher. Ultra-violet light reveals some finely applied small strokes of retouching in the water in the lower left corner and in the far lower right corner. There are areas of fluorescence in the sky which might be associated to some selective cleaning in the past. Some other strokes and scattered spots of cosmetic retouching are also visible in the sky. However, the main composition appears to be untouched. This work presents very well, is in overall good condition and is ready to hang. Presented in a decorative gilt frame with a nameplate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This sweeping view epitomises del Campo’s approach to vedutismo, a popular genre pioneered in the eighteenth-century by Francesco Guardi and Canaletto, which gained increasing popularity in the nineteenth century. Painted from the promenade overlooking the lagoon and encompassing the Doge's Palace, the entrance to St Mark's Square, and the Church of Santa Maria della Salute, the panorama is striking in its technical precision, lively brushwork and luminous palette. 

The elegance of the subject and its technique are telling of their times, reflective of sophisticated belle époque taste during the 1880s and 1890s, and of the increased demand for souvenir views by a newly mobile bourgeoisie. Indeed, so much were Del Campo's views in demand, that he painted the present view several times, it becoming his signature composition.

The young del Campo was lured to Italy not only by its picturesqueness but by the hope of launching a successful and lucrative career. In moving to Venice in the late 1880s, he joined an already large community of emigré artists, among them Antoinetta Brandeis and the Spanish colony of painters who included Rafael Senet, Mariano Fortuny, and Martin Rico, all of whom found a ready international market for their views of the city. Many, del Campo included, made such big names for themselves through this genre that they painted nothing but Italian views.