ALBUM OF 90 LOVELY HAND-COLORED AQUATINT FOLIO VIEWS OF VENICE

(VENICE) LAZZARI, Antonio, engraver; TOSINI, Andrea, artist. [Vedute Prospettiche degli interni de migliori Tempi e delle situazioni piu pittoresche della citta di Venezia designate da Andrea Tosini ed incise all'aqua tinta da Antonio Lazzari]. Venice: no publisher, circa 1829. Folio (9 by 13 inches), contemporary full brown morocco gilt, marbled endpapers, uncut. Housed in a custom slipcase. $8700.

Wonderful collection of views of Venice, with 90 aquatints by Antonio Lazzari after drawings by Andrea Tosini, all with fine hand-coloring.

Venice had been an independent republic for over 1100 years, during much of which she had been "mistress of the Mediterranean," the principal crossroads between East and West, and the richest and most prosperous commercial center in the civilized world. "No nation has ever presented itself with more panache—confident as the Venetian Republic was… that it would last forever. Coupled with this conceit, were a highly calculated love of ceremony and a gift of publicity" (Jan Morris). Intended for the burgeoning 19th-century tourist trade, this stellar collection of Venetian attractions represents the best achievements of the contemporary artistic and print-making community in Venice, depicting such famous sights as San Marco Square, the Grand Canal and the Rialto Bridge. Captions in Italian. Bound without a title page, possibly as issued, with a later manuscript title in pencil inserted. (One copy listed in WorldCat is also described as having 90 colored plates and no title.). Bookplate.

Occasional marginal foxing, plates clean and fine, coloring vivid. Expert restoration to binding. A very good collection.