Attributed to William James (Active1761-1771), The Entrance to the Grand Canal, Venice, with Punta della Dogana and Santa Maria della Salute

oil on canvas. 38 by 61 in.; 96.5 by 155 cm. Estimate 150,000—200,000 USD

NOTE: William James remains an elusive figure of 18th century painting with little known about his life or career beyond exhibitions at the Society of Artists between 1761 and 1768, and at the Royal Academy between 1769 and 1771. In the company of Samuel Scott (1702-1772) and William Marlow (1740-1813), James represents one of the primary British emulators of the Canalettesque aesthetic.

Following great popularity amongst the tourists of the Grand Tour, Canaletto had come to London in 1746 and during his nine year stay produced several city scenes and Thames river views which substantially revitalised the genre of English topographical landscape painting. In his Anecdotes of Painters (1808), Edwards claimed that James was a pupil or assistant at Canaletto's London studio but this suggestion has yet to be substantiated. Yet for all his personal obscurity, James' radiant compositions present no such enigma of form in their manifest devotion to Canaletto's style and genre. Through his delicacy, precision and evocative contrast of light and dark, he demonstrates the Venetian master's significant influence upon British art.

Portraying the entrance to the Grand Canal with the Punta della Dogana and the church of Santa Maria della Salute on the left, the present painting aptly illustrates James' skilful assimilation of Canaletto's subject matter, graphic finesse and luminous colour palette. A few other variants of this view by William James are recorded: one was sold in Amsterdam, Sotheby's, December 13, 1982, lot 39. With a composition unequivocally reminiscent of the Canaletto vistas so treasured by British high society, James here brings together gentle dynamic motifs, a delicate architectural clarity, and the beautiful rendition of reflections upon water to craft a smooth, decorative whole which championed renewed topographical tastes and competently evokes the iridescent vitality and splendour of 18th century Venice.

Sotheby's. Important Old Master Paintings, Including European Works of Art. 29 Jan 09. New York www.sothebys.com photo courtesy Sotheby's