Sites in Venice, Dedham Vale, Delft, Arles and Cape Creus immortalised in famous paintings.
For an art lover, some places are instantly recognisable from the world’s great landscape paintings. So why not visit them in person? There are some great holiday destinations that the likes of Van Gogh, Vermeer and Canaletto have immortalised. Here are some of the best.
Venice
Where: North-east Italy
Who? Canaletto
Why? Walking around Venice is a little like strolling through a series of Canaletto’s famous paintings. The great Venetian artist was renowned for his level of detail, and he managed to capture many spots, such as the Doge’s Palace and the canals with an almost photographic quality. Luckily, he was fairly unimaginative when it came to naming his works, so it doesn’t take a genius to work out where The Grand Canal and the Church of the Salute or View Of The Entrance To The Venetian Arsenale were painted.
Also… Many of Canaletto’s works are displayed within Venice’s art galleries. There are a few in the Gallerie dell’Accademia – Venice’s greatest collection of masterworks – for example.
Dedham Vale
Where: Border of Essex and Suffolk, England.
Who: John Constable.
Why: Along with Turner, Constable is the most famous British landscape artist and he didn’t tend to leave his home patch all that much. Both The Haywain and, unsurprisingly, Dedham Vale were painted in the area. Meanwhile, the church tower in Stoke-by-Nayland featured in numerous Constable paintings.
Also… Walking holidays through Constable Country – the Stour Valley and Dedham Vale – are available through www.walkingbreaks.com.
Delft
Where: The Netherlands
Who: Johannes Vermeer
Why? One of the most famous cityscape paintings of all time is Vermeer’s View of Delft, which immortalised the artist’s home town. To get the same view, you’ll need to head to south bank of the river Schie, which is where Vermeer painted it from a first floor window. Naturally, the skyline has changed a little since 1660 when he completed it.
Also… The painting itself is on display at the Mauritshuis in nearby Den Haag, where Vermeer’s other classic – The Girl With The Pearl Earring – can also be found.
Arles
Where: Provence, Southern France
Who: Vincent Van Gogh
Why? Van Gogh lived in Arles between 1888 and 1890 with his friend and fellow artist Paul Gauguin. During that time, his output was prolific, and many of his famous works were painted here. These include Starry Night Over The Rhône, Café Terrace At Night and The Red Vineyard – the only painting he sold during his lifetime. The city’s tourist office has an excellent walking tour taking in Van Gogh-related sites.
Also… Espace Van Gogh hosts regular art exhibitions (although not of Van Gogh’s work). This was the former hospital where the Dutchman was locked up and had his ear stitched.
Cape Creus
Where: Catalonia, North-East Spain
Who: Salvador Dalí
Why? Though certainly not a landscape painter in the conventional form, Dalí’s paintings often featured aspects from the region in which he grew up. His most famous work – The Persistence of Memory – is a classic example. More noted for its melting clocks, in the background there is a stylised interpretation of Cape Creus, the spot where the Pyrenees meet the Mediterranean Sea.
Also… Dalí’s home town of Figueres hosts a huge collection of his work, most of which can be found in the Teatre-Museu Dalí.
This article was originally written for AOL UK.
Copyright David Whitley
