A detailed, usually large-scale painting or print of a cityscape or architectural view, typically depicting real locations with topographical accuracy. The genre was especially popular in 18th-century Venice and Rome.
From Italian 'vedere' meaning 'to see,' literally translating as 'view.' The term emerged in 18th-century Italy to describe the precise topographical paintings that became popular with Grand Tour travelers.
Canaletto's vedute of Venice were like expensive postcards for wealthy Grand Tour travelers who wanted proof of their cultural sophistication! These paintings were so accurate that urban historians now use them to study how cities looked centuries ago – they're better than photographs for understanding historical architecture and daily life.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.