P. Majoochi (after) (Venezia)
Carlo Bossoli (1815-1884) (after) (Genova)
Franceso Citterio (1804-1898) (engraver)
Venezia [Venice, Italy]
Genova [Genoa, Italy] Sold
Antonio Vallardia and Ferdinando Artari, Milan: Mid 19th C.
Hand-colored aquatints heightened with gum arabic
$2,500 each
Venice and Genoa
Two Large, Colorful Mid 19th C. Italian Prints
Two Large, Colorful Mid 19th C. Italian Prints
Venezia [Venice]
Venezia detail |
Venezia detail |
Detail of Venezia captions -- captions run the length of both prints to indicate significant landmarks.
Genova [Genoa]
Sold
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Genova details |
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Venezia |
Genova |
Two large and impressive panoramic views of Italian cities. The view of Venice is centered on the Piazza San Marco, the tower of the Campanile bisecting the composition, with the harbor on the right. The sunlit view of Genoa shows scores of pedestrians in period dress walking the promenade, which overlooks a harbor full of anchored boats. Both views are captioned in the lower margin with names of significant landmarks. The prints were apparently separately issued, several views perhaps printed on a single sheet.
Carlo Bossoli was an Italian painter and draftsman, known chiefly for his landscapes and views. Born in Switzerland, his family emigrated to Odessa when he was a child and there he received his first training in art. He began his career painting vue d’optiques. During the 1840s and 1850s he worked in many European countries, notably for the court of Queen Victoria and for Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III. He also spent time in Italy, Russia and Sweden. Bossoli exhibited at the Royal Academy in London between 1855 and 1859. He also created a large body of illustrations of military campaigns, which he completed on assignment. Eventually he settled in Torino and remained there for the rest of his life, and most of his works are in collections there, especially at the Torino museum.
Francesco Citterio was an Italian aquatint engraver. He engraved many landscape views.
Antonio Vallardi is an Italian publishing house based in Milan. Founded in 1750 by Francesco Cesare Vallardi, the firm still operates today, maintaining a focus on educational and geographic reference works. Vallardi published some 22 editions of its Itinerario d'Italia between 1819 and 1835, a forerunner of the modern travelers’ guidebook. In the mid 19th century, the company also published city views, including panoramas of Italian cities such as Genoa, Venice and Florence. Other 19th Century publications included artistic, geographic, scientific and religious works, and Vallardi developed its scholastic publications to become one of Italy’s leading producers of educational materials for children. They also produced globes and planetary models, and other school demonstration devices, from the late 19th Century to mid 20th Century. During the latter half of the 20th century, Antonio Vallardi was acquired by Gruppo Editoriale Mauri Spagnol and now concentrates on foreign language dictionaries, tourist guides, textbooks and how-to books.
Condition: Finely executed original color, heightened with gum Arabic, still fresh and bright. Image of each very good overall with light toning and a few minor abrasions. Very faint vertical toning, presumably caused by former wooden back boards. Impression from former matting in margins, can be rematted out, still showing main title, and identification key. Margins irregularly cut, possibly excluding publishers name or subsidiary titles. Apparently separately issued, possibly cut from a single larger sheet.
References:
“Antonio Vallardi Editore.” Vallardi Editore. http://www.vallardi.it/chisiamo.php (28 October 2009).
Bénézit, E. Dictionnaire critique et documentaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs et Graveurs. France: Librairie Gründ, 1966. Vol. 2, p. 35 (Bossoli); p. 519 (Citterio).
“Carlo Bossoli.” Carneade, chi era costui? 26 October 2009. http://digilander.libero.it/trombealvento/bossoli/bossoli.htm (27 October 2009).
Manno, Antonio. Bibliografia di Genova. Genoa, Italy: Libreria R. Istituto Sordo-muti, 1898. 28888. Online at Google Books. http://books.google.com/books?id=OsKtWEdRd_gC (27 October 2009).
“Scheda 39 Antonio Vallardi Editore.” Fondazione Mondadori.http://fondazionemondadori.it/censimento/lombardia2007/Schede_censite_1999/
Scheda%2039%20ANTONIO%20VALLARDI%20EDITORE.doc (28 October 2009).