CANALETTO
(b. 1697, Venezia, d. 1768, Venezia)

Interior View of the Henry VII Chapel, Westminster Abbey (detail)

1750-53
Oil on canvas
Private collection

Canaletto has chosen a viewpoint from an angle along the central nave of the chapel looking towards the tomb of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. The grille surrounding the tomb can be seen at the far end of the chapel. Heraldic banners belonging to the Knights of the Order of Bath hang over the stalls and east end of the building. The awe-inspiring architecture is the main focus, though the artist has included a few figures who serve to emphasize the scale and grandeur of the interior.