Book excerpt: In the age of the Grand Tour and the Enlightenment, it was Giovanni Antonio Canal, known as Canaletto, who made the limpid, radiant light of Venice famous far beyound the frontiers of Italy. He developed veduta painting to its finest flowering. As well as numerous views of squares and canals, the artist celebrates - especially in his "Solennita dogali", his group of city festivals - Venice's former magnificence, to which he has created a memorable monument.