Giovanni Antonio Canal, called Canaletto (1697-1768), is one of the most popular of all old master painters, admired for his magnificant views of Venice and London. In the words of one of his contemporaries, Canaletto had the power to paint so that 'the eye is deceived and truly believes it is the real thing it sees'. Apprenticed to his artist father, Canaletto began his career as a scene-painter. He spent his formative years in Venice and is best...