Desperate to experience Venice but just can't quite get there?
A documentary tour of the city through the eyes its most famous painter, Canaletto (1697-1768), might go some way towards easing the itch.
Featuring paintings of the Rialto Bridge, the Piazza San Marco, the Palazzo Ducale, the Church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo and more, Canaletto & the Art of Venice is a treat for armchair travellers and arts lover alike.
You'll also discover the intriguing tale of how Canaletto's works were acquired for Britain's Royal Collection and came to hold pride of place in the Queen's own Picture Gallery. (View the trailer HERE.)
No artist in history has better captured the essence and allure of Italy's most picturesque city than Venice-born Giovanni Antonio Canal, better known as Canaletto.
Highly sought after by the Grand Tourists of the era, his view paintings have long been celebrated, both for their beauty and for the artist's unique eye.
Canaletto's great skill was in the manipulation of reality. Although the works appear as faithful representations of the city, his playful imagination made him a master of the artistic genre of capriccio - where buildings and other structures are painted in fictional and often fantastical combinations.
In this sense, he is much more than a topographical artist - he is a master storyteller, freely moving buildings and opening vistas to create the perfect compositions; and adding picturesque details of everyday life to evoke a uniquely Venetian atmosphere.
With unique access to the Royal Collection's exceptional holdings of Canaletto's work - comprising more than 200 paintings, drawings and prints, Canaletto & the Art of Venice provides an unparalleled insight into his artistry and the city he became a master at capturing.
The film also offers the chance to step inside two official royal residences - Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle - to learn more about the artist, and Joseph Smith, the consul who introduced Canaletto to Britain.
Audiences will also embark on their very own 21st century Grand Tour, visiting the sites enjoyed by their 18th century counterparts and immortalised in Canaletto's views.
Guided by Royal Collection Trust curators and the world's leading experts in Venetian history, the film is not only a wonderful way to see the exhibition, but an opportunity to get closer to Canaletto and the city that inspired him.
Canaletto: The Art of Venice opens in cinemas across Australia on July 14.
For venues, visit exhibitiononscreen.com/find-a-screening
