Bellotto, Bernardo (1720-1780)

Italian topographical painter. He was the nephew and pupil of Canaletto, whose name he adopted. From 1747 to 1766 he was court painter in Dresden, Germany, and from 1767 he was employed by King Stanislaus Poniatowski of Poland in Warsaw, where he was always known as Canaletto. His carefully detailed views of Warsaw helped in the rebuilding of the city after World War II.

He and his uncle were not long associated, and Bellotto became more individual in style after he left Italy. He painted in Rome 1740, and after travelling in northern Italy went to Munich, Germany, and later to Dresden. Because of the Seven Years' War, he spent 1759-60 in Vienna. Thirteen views of Vienna date from this visit. In 1766 he visited St Petersburg, Russia.