Ale Porte Del Dolo (At the Locks at Dolo)

Middle- and upper-class Venetians enjoyed excursions to Padua, about twenty-five miles up the Brenta River, whose banks were lined with the large country houses of the wealthy. Along the way was Dolo, a small but important town that supplied Venice with barreled drinking water and flour. Canaletto made several views of its picturesque waterfront. At the left is a small wharf with a stock of logs that facilitated rolling heavy barrels onto barges. Emerging from locks that controlled the water level we see a burchiello—the river-going equivalent of a luxury tour bus. The campanile (bell tower) of San Rocco cathedral punctuates the skyline. Reflections shimmer on the water. Look closely to see the boatmen, fishermen, tourists, and dock workers going about their business.