MBA002: Lot 58. VISENTINI, Antonio.

The Scuola Grande di San Rocco, and the obliquely viewed church of San Rocco, were both founded in response to the plague, to offer comfort to sufferers. The church contains relics of Saint Roch, one of the patron saints of Venice. It was originally built between 1489 and 1508, but the facade seen here was redesigned by Bernardino Maccarucci between 1765 and 1771.

“”Self-styled as painter, architect, and engraver, Visentini enjoyed a long career in Venice where he was connected to the Academia and to the artistic and publishing circle centred around Consul Joseph Smith. Visentini's etchings are distinguished in the confidence and authority of their perspectival projection and etched line. Visentini's buildings seldom sag and never “”sink”” under their own weight into the water of the canals as they occasionally might in the work of Carlevaris and Mariechi. Canaletto's compositions are quite various and are refreshingly dramatic in the contrast between the large foreground buildings and the smaller ones in the receding perspective.

These views were crucial to forming the image of Venice in the mind of its visitors”” (Millard).

Description

Engraving after Canaletto, 405 x 555 mm.

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