The Rialto Bridge was the only way to cross the Grand Canal on foot when Turner visited Venice. He sketched the bridge from many different angles, including from a gondola. This is the view from the north, painted on the spot. To the right is the 16th-century Palazzo dei Camerlenghi, originally the headquarters of the Venetian finance office. The arcaded building on the left is the Fondaco dei Tedeschi, which was once the base for German merchants in the city. The boats beneath the bridge are probably bringing goods to the Rialto Market.