A View of Verona

When this masterpiece was acquired for Powis Castle in 1981 it was widely trumpeted as 'by far the most important in which the fund has assisted the National Trust'. Purchased by Clive of India, it had been on loan to the Castle since it was acquired by the National Trust in 1952. The view is taken from the Ponte delle Navi, looking down the Adige with Castel San Pietro in the centre distance and the tower of Sant'Anastasia on the left. Bellotto, Canaletto's nephew and pupil, probably painted this when the artist was living in Verona between 1745 and 1747. The picture is one of four large-scale landscapes by Bellotto that the Art Fund has helped the nation acquire in recent years - two went to Manchester and one to York. This work was acquired with assistance from the Wolfson Foundation.