The Locks at Dolo, an oval-shaped basin with boats at center, buildings on either side, a fruit vendor and groups of figures in the foreground, from "Views" (Vedute altre prese da i luoghi altre ideate da Antonio Canal)

The ticket

The Locks at Dolo, an oval-shaped basin with boats at center, buildings on either side, a fruit vendor and groups of figures in the foreground, from "Views" (Vedute altre prese da i luoghi altre ideate da Antonio Canal) is a print by Canaletto (Giovanni Antonio Canal) (Italian, Venice 1697–1768 Venice), dated 1735–46. Etching; second state of three. Size on the museum record: Plate: 11 3/4 × 16 7/8 in. (29.9 × 42.9 cm) Sheet: 17 5/8 × 23 9/16 in. (44.7 × 59.9 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds it in its Drawings and Prints collection — Rogers Fund, 1918.

The Met catalogs The Locks at Dolo, an oval-shaped basin with boats at center, buildings on either side, a fruit vendor and groups of figures in the foreground, from "Views" (Vedute altre prese da i luoghi altre ideate da Antonio Canal) as an etching; second state of three by Canaletto (Giovanni Antonio Canal). The museum dates it 1735–46, and files it under accession 18.65.1(6) in Drawings and Prints. The subject is water and weather, so the sky-to-sea balance carries the picture; keep the horizon level when you hang it. The Met's scan measures 3,911 × 2,905 pixels, which prints about 13.0 × 9.7 in at 300 dpi and 26.1 × 19.4 in at a still-comfortable 150 dpi. Because it runs wide, it wants a horizontal frame; check the crop percentage for each size before you commit. It is close to monochrome, so the frame sets the mood: black for contrast, white for air, or a thin natural wood for warmth. Line work lives on contrast. Print it on smooth bright paper and give it a wider frame or mat so the fine marks are not swallowed. Light it from above with a soft warm bulb, hang the centre of the picture near 57 inches, and it will read as intended instead of as decoration.

The Met released its scan under CC0, which means no permission, no fee and no credit line required. That file is 3,911 × 2,905 pixels — 11.4 megapixels — good for a gallery-sharp print up to 13 × 9.7 in. The print itself measures about 16.9 × 11.8 in, so a true life-size print runs below 300 dpi — still sharp at normal viewing distance.Line work lives or dies on contrast. Print it on a smooth, bright paper and give it a wide mat: small graphic work drowns in a thin frame and a big empty border makes it look like it came out of a print room drawer.

On the receipt

Artist

Canaletto (Giovanni Antonio Canal)

Date

1735–46

Medium

Etching; second state of three

Size

Plate: 11 3/4 × 16 7/8 in. (29.9 × 42.9 cm) Sheet: 17 5/8 × 23 9/16 in. (44.7 × 59.9 cm)

Museum

The Met · Drawings and Prints

Accession

18.65.1(6)

License

Public domain · CC0 1.0

Source

Museum record ↗