BERNARDO BELLOTTO, Perspective de la Facade de la Roiale Eglise Catolique avec une part du Palais.

Etching. First state (of 5), with the arms etched from a separate plate and the words "Peint, dessine, et grave oar Bernard Bellotto dit Canalletto 1748." Pine cone with letters watermark. Bellotto (circa 1721/22-1780), was a northern Italian painter or "vedutista" and printmaker, famous for his etched viewsof European cities such as Dresden, Vienna, Turin and Warsaw. He was the student and nephew of Antonio da Canal, Il Canaletto, and sometimes used his uncle's illustrious name, signing as Bernardo Canaletto. In Germany and Poland, Bellotto simply called himself by his uncle's name, Canaletto, causing some confusion. Bellotto's style was characterized by elaborate representation of architectural and natural vistas, and by the specific quality of each place's lighting. It is plausible that Bellotto, and other Venetian masters of "vedute" at this time, may have used the camera obscura in order to achieve superior precision of urban views.

1748

545x839 mm; 21 1/2x33 1/2 inches, wide margins.

DeVesme 11.