Veduta della Piazza Grande

View taken from the famous Il viaggio pittorico della Toscana, printed in Florence, for Giovanni Marenigh, 1817.

Abbot Francesco Fontani (Florence, 1748-1818), a learned scholar, after his studies in the seminary of the Eugenian College moved to Rome where he taught eloquence in the Bandinelli College. He devoted himself to artistic and archaeological studies and, upon his return to Florence, became Librarian at the Riccardiana, also dealing with the Accademia della Crusca. He was parish priest at the church of Santa Lucia dei Magnoli.

The Pictorial Journey of Tuscany constitutes his most renowned work.

Faithfully reproducing the plates engraved by the Terreni brothers during their 1801 trip,

it was first published between 1801 and 1803 for the types of Tofani in Florence and later, in this version reduced in format, by Giovanni Marenigh in 1817-1818 and 1822.