Warwick Castle, the East Front from the Outer Court

Painted in 1752, after the artist's trip to Venice, it depicts the exterior of Warwick Castle with a glimpse of the old town to the right and topographically correct, a view notable for its animated and elegantly dressed figures and for the intense blue of the sky. Its Italianesque light adds a Mediterranean touch to a traditional English scene. Canaletto painted five views of Warwick Castle during his two visits to England in 1746-50 and 1751-55. This piece and its companion Warwick castle, the East Front from the Inner Court, were acquired by the American collector Paul Mellon in 1977 but their export license was withheld. Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery launched a national campaign to raise funding for their purchase.