Friday, April 08, 2011

Oil on water


Forgive my lazy ignorance, but I’d always assumed that “Canaletto” was a nickname, based on the fact that he painted lots of pictures of Venice. I’ve only just discovered that it’s simply a diminutive of his real surname, which was Canal. It’s the only case of nominative determinism that I can think of among major painters; unless, of course, someone has evidence that Van Gogh was christened Vincent Sunflower, or that Lucian Freud’s birth certificate identifies his father as Mr Gloomynakedlady.

5 comments:

Vicus Scurra said...

Thank you. I didn't know that. I doubt whether it will be of any use to me, but it would be churlish not to pass on my appreciation anyway.

Charles Edward Frith said...

Mr Cornetto was a Ventian who made ice cream famous this way too. It's well documented.

GreatSheElephant said...

Didn't Titian paint pictures of ladies with their clothes off?

Tim F said...

You never know when such things might be useful, Vicus.

Charles: always loved the bit in the adverts when the "dee-licious ice cream from Italee" was undercut by a teeny "MADE IN THE UK" caption.

Very good, GSE. I believe he did, the naughty man. Anyone else? Did Poussin ever paint chickens?

Vicus Scurra said...

I done a lol at GSE.