Poet and essayist, Mark Doty, has made Bellotto’s Grand Canal, the subject for this exquisite little book. The painting of the grand canal in Venice is an absolute masterpiece, giving Doty much cause for reflection. The author has taken the painting and segregated different sections for closer scrutiny. Each page shows a piece of the painting in close up detail. At the beginning of the book, Doty reflects on all the elements in the picture: sky, buildings, people and their clothing, surfaces, shadows and much more. Doty also describes the differences in the city now and at the time of the painting. In his musings, it is easy to tell he is a poet. The words and phrases are lyrical and easily project the images to the reader.
When the dust jacket is removed and opened up, it is the complete rendering of Bellotto’s masterpiece. Covering the paper dust jacket is an additional jacket ,opaque in nature, giving the book a watery, almost haunting feel. This book is a delight to hold in the hands, a treasure to savor. Seeing Venice would be a wonderful gift for any art lover or arm chair traveler. Definitely 5***** in my opinion.
Thank you to Getty Publications and Shelf Awareness for this book.
