There are only a few cities in Europe that have been depicted with such enthusiasm as that received by Venice. The tradition of painting Venetian streets and canals persisted over many centuries.

Already Vittore Carpaccio, Gentile Bellini and Josef Heintz the Younger captured many different views of the City on the Lagoon in their works. However, in 15th–17th-century paintings, the city was not yet the main protagonist, but still only formed a backdrop to the depicted scenes. It was only later, in the 18th century, that artists came to fully appreciate the inspiring potential of the city environment.

This was an era when Venetian painting represented one of the pillars of European art and a period that can indisputably be termed the Golden Age of Venetian veduta painting. Michele Marieschi, Francesco Guardi and above all Antonio Canal, called Canaletto, were the most distinguished representatives of this genre.