Giovanni Antonio Canal - Canaletto

Giovanni Antonio Canal was known as Canaletto to indicate him as 'little canal' as his father was of the same name. He worked from the early 1700's untill his death in 1768. Born in Venice, Canaletto was apprenticed to his father and brother as a theatre set painter. After returning from Rome in 1719, he began painting different landscapes in and around Venice. He slowly gathered attention and reputation, but eventually Englishman stopped traveling to Venice and Canaletto had to relocate to London. There the quality of his work began to decline and the paintings lost their fluidity. Sadly Canaletto never fully regained his reputation during his lifetime.