In 1719, Canaletto accompanied his father, a theatrical scene painter, to Rome, working there as his assistant; in 1720, the young man returned to his native city and registered in the local guild. In 1725–26, Canaletto painted a set of four large and exceptionally well-documented views of Venice for Stefano Conti, a textile merchant in Lucca. According to the agent who recommended him for this commission, Canaletto painted out-of-doors, which was quite certainly not the case, and also that he was able to make the sun shine in his pictures. Indeed, the movement of light and air over the cityscape, as seen here, is one of the most important characteristics of the painter's early work.

There are fewer windows in the actual bell tower, and the flag staffs in the painting are too tall, but otherwise Canaletto took few liberties with the topography of Venice's best-known site. The figures are closely observed. The loose, ragged handling of the awnings and details of the costumes in this brightly lit view suggests a date in the 1720s.

Canaletto patrons were mostly foreigners. He had two agents: Owen McSwiney, who secured a few of his earliest English commissions, and Joseph Smith, who was both agent and patron and whose wonderful collection of Canaletto paintings and drawings was eventually sold to King George III. His view paintings have always been admired for their accuracy and completeness, and are still keenly sought after by collectors.

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