The Fortress of Königstein from the North

This view of the Fortress of Königstein in Saxony looks up at the stronghold from a winding lane through the valley of the River Elbe, placing the viewer on the road rather than above it. The painting gives as much attention to the rural life beyond the fortress walls as to the imposing structure itself, so the monument sits within an everyday landscape. Bernardo Bellotto, nephew and pupil of Canaletto, began by painting scenes of Venice but later moved to Northern Europe, where he became known above all for his views of Dresden and Warsaw. It was commissioned by Augustus III, Elector of Saxony, as one of a series of five paintings of Königstein; two others, Courtyard with the Brunnenhaus and Courtyard with the Magdalenenburg, are in Manchester Art Gallery. The work is now in the National Gallery in London, which acquired it in 2017 through a large fundraising campaign.

Painter

Bernardo Bellotto

Date

1756

Medium

oil paint, canvas

Dimensions

132 × 236 cm

Museum

National Gallery, London

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