Park plans Canaletto-inspired 'immersive experiences'

A project which aims to use the "iconic works" of the painter Canaletto to "create rich immersive experiences" in and around a stately home has begun.

The initiative at Tatton Park will see an architecture studio and a design collective work with the Venetian Old Master's art to help to create extended reality (XR) experiences which are due to be unveiled in 2026.

Cheshire East Council, which runs the park on behalf of the National Trust, said the project would see two "interactive" events held in September, which would "ignite creativity and offer new perspectives".

Head of rural and cultural economy Carole Hyde said the results would tell "the fascinating story of how Canaletto came to Cheshire".

Giovanni Antonio Canal, who was known as Canaletto, was born in the then-republic of Venice in 1697 and became the most famous view-painter of the 18th Century.

He painted real and imagined views of his home city, London and Rome and became a favourite of Europe's wealthy elite, who often returned from the Grand Tour with work they had commissioned from him as a souvenir of their youthful travels around the Mediterranean.

The National Trust's collection at Tatton Park includes four Canaletto etchings and two of his painted masterpieces - The Grand Canal, Piazzetta and Dogana, Venice, and The Doge's Palace and Riva degli Schiavoni, Venice, both which were painted in 1730.

The project, part of the park's Impossible Perspectives scheme which aims to reinterpret its "rich landscape and historical connections through contemporary art", will see architecture studio CAN and design collective Peut-Porter hold "a unique series of workshops and creative activities", a council representative said.

They said the work was part of an "innovative XR development and commissioning programme" which was drawing inspiration from the Canaletto masterpieces held in the park's mansion.

The first event on 28 September will allow visitors to "step into the intricate landscapes of Venice as depicted by Canaletto" and create their own "digital collage inspired by his precise and detailed perspectives".

The second will concentrate on the women of the Egerton family, who lived at Tatton, and give the chance to "engage in speculative re-visioning of the past, using immersive tools to imagine and contribute to the fictional narratives of these historical figures".

Ms Hyde said she was looking forward to seeing the results.

"We are excited to commission CAN and Peut-Porter for this unique arts engagement opportunity at Tatton Park, which will help us develop innovative XR-led immersive experiences for our visitors in 2026," she said.

"This is a unique chance to explore Tatton Park’s collections, parkland, gardens, and mansion, to find out about the fascinating story of how ‘Canaletto came to Cheshire’ and be part of an exciting new arts venture in this wonderful setting."

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