Prospectuum Aedium Viarumque Insignorum Ubis Venetiarum

Complete series of 20 original black and white etchings on oblong folio and laid paper, in first state before numeration.

On frontispiece with date “1763”, dedication to Prince Marco Foscareno and name and address of Ludovico Furlanetto . Each plate is titled and signed on plate " Jo. Bap. Brustoloni sculp ." on the lower right margin. 

Complete title of the series: Prospectuum aedium, viarumque insigniorum Urbis venetiarum nautico certamine, ac nundinis adiectis. Tomus Primus, tabulas XII complectens, quas Antonius Canale coloribus expressit – Joannes Baptista Brustolon aere incidit. Serenissimo Principi D.D. Marco Foscareno Egregio, emerito, sapientissimo Augustae Republicae Duci D.D.D. Anno AE C. 1763 ab V.C. 1341.

This series is considered the most important one by Brustolon after Canaletto (from the engravings of Visentini), and was edited in a first version of 12 tables and in a second version of 22 tables. However, Succi affirms that the  I state series includes just 20 tables, and the missing two vary from suite to suite so that this series can be considered complete.

Very fresh and bright sheets in wide margins, with restored little tear on 4 sheets and a very light vertical fold on center. Papers show the following watermarks:

• Big cartouche with half-moon
• Big cartouche with letters “FO” and “AS”

Bound and ripples on paper.

In detail:  Prospectuum Aedium Viarumque Insignorum Ubis Venetiarum is one of the finest of Venetian topographical print suites, equal in relevance to the publications of Carlevarijs, Canaletto-Visentini, and Marieschi, preciously rare, especially in the first edition (of four) with all plates in first state and in excellent state of preservation.

Ten of its twenty vedute of the Serenessima derive from the paintings of Canaletto,  drawn and engraved by Antonio Visentini , adapted to a larger size by Brustolon. The Bellunese artist extended the views and enriched the landscapes with new objects and figures that animate the scenes.

Other four views are deeply inspired by Michele Marieschi ’s prints, though they are smaller than their models. The last six Brustolon’s views (the four etchings derive from recent drawings and paintings by Giambattista and Giuseppe Moretti ) are more personal and original, because the author displays his special talent and his virtuous technical skills: the difficult task of reproducing the different tonalities of the master Canaletto’s wash effects;  the shining architectures   and the transparency of the sky with variations of line and the use of crosshatching; the multiple acid bites on controlled parts of the copperplate.

Reference:  Succi (1983), 53/58