Nuova Pianta Elevata della Nobile e Cospicua Citta di Venezia

Rare perspective plan of Venice.

This fascinating plan is executed on the prototype of Stefano Scolari's 1677 plan, to which some variations were made such as the omission of cartouches and the addition of new typographic elements. Furlanetto's large plan of the lagoon city of Venice, includes the surrounding islands such as San Giorgio, Torcello and Murano. A variety of small and large sailing ships and gondolas are shown in the waters. Churches, eminent places and waterways are named. The few people illustrated in the view are involved in work such as building gondolas or chopping wood.

The dating of the work - which bears at the bottom the imprint “Si vende preso di Lodovico Furlanetto sopra il ponte dei Bereteri in Merzaria con Privilegio” but not the date - is traced to the period 1770-79.

It was edited by Ludovico Furlanetto, who had already acquired the plates of Ludovico Ughi's monumental map in 1739. Evidently, the intent was to be able to put on the market also a more manageable plant and thus suitable for a wider audience.

In 1779 Furlanetto wanted that production of his that until then was not protected by privilege. He petitioned the Reformers of the Study of Padua, pointing out the danger of imitators and counterfeiters, with obvious thought to Viero and Giampiccoli. Gaspare Gozzi assumed the necessary information and recommended to the Senate the privilege for some of the plates placed in the catalog by Furlanetto, among which was this one with the Nuova Pianta dell'Inclita Città di Venezia The plea was granted in 1780 with a 20-year privilege.

“Venne compresa dal Furlanetto nell'elenco redatto nel 1779 in cui si chiedeva ai Riformatori dello Studio di Padova che gli venisse concesso il privilegio della pubblicazione di alcune carte e piante per potersi salvaguardare dagli imitatori. Ciò suggerirebbe anche per questa pianta una datazione anteriore alla concessione (1780)” (cfr. Romanelli-Biadene, Venezia Piante e Vedute, p. 77).

Giocondo Cassini notes that in Francesco Guardi's painting there is a large view of Venice “which is nothing but a very faithful copy of the plan described here” (cf. Cassini, Piante e vedute prospettiche di Venezia, no. 85).

Etching and engraving, printed on two large sheets of coeval virgin paper joined at the center, slightly oxidized in the white margin, otherwise in excellent condition.

Bibliografia

Moretto, Venetia le immagini della Repubblica, n. 179; Cassini, Piante e vedute prospettiche di Venezia, n. 85; Marinelli, Saggio di cartografia Veneta, n. 1386; Romanelli-Biadene, Venezia Piante e Vedute, n. 85.