Vue Exterieure de St. Pierre de Rome

A rare view of St. Peter’s square engraved by François Antoine Aveline after Giovan Battista Piranesi and published in Paris by Jean, with the imprint A Paris chez Jean, rue Jean de Beauvais N° 32.

Etching with fine original colouring, printed on contemporary laid paper, with margins, perfect condition.

François Antoine Aveline (French, Paris 1718–1780 London) was an engraver, son of Antoine. Testifying in Paris in July 1750, from 1752 taught in the Foulis Academy in Glasgow. By 1754 in London where he remained working for Hogarth and others (in 1761 in debtor's prison) until c. 1764. Last years and date of death uncertain.

Jean (fl. 1797 - c. 1829) was a French publishing house active in Paris during the late 18th and the early 19th centuries during the Napoleonic Period. The firm seems to have produced a large corpus of books, maps, and engravings, but despite this, they remain obscure and little is known of their history. Their offices were first located t no. 32 Rue Jean de Beauvais, then at 10 Rue Jean de Beauvais.