"VENICE IS BEYOND THE FANCY OF THE WILDEST DREAMER": FIRST AMERICAN EDITION OF STREETS AND CANALS IN VENICE, A WONDERFUL ELEPHANT FOLIO WITH 100 EXHIBITION-SIZE PHOTOGRAVURES

(VENICE) ONGANIA, Ferd[inando], Editor. Calli e Canali in Venezia [Streets and Canals in Venice]. (Venezia): Ferd. Ongania, 1891. Elephant folio (14-1/2 by 20-1/2 inches), contemporary three-quarter black morocco, raised bands, burgundy morocco spine label, patterned endpapers, all edges gilt.

First edition of this wonderful 19th-century large folio volume of Venice—"a joy to behold" (Parr & Badger)—with 100 exhibition-size warm-tone photogravures, edited by Ferdinando Ongania and featuring luminous images of gondolas on sunlit canals, Piazza San Marco, Palazzo Ducal, the Grand Canal and much more.

At the turn of the century, "Venice was the ideal city for the purveyor or 'art' views, not only unique in history and location, but since the fall of the Venetian Republic— the Serenissima— in 1798, a primary destination for the 19th-century tourist. It was arguably the first city to become one vast museum… Venice had two advantages. Its island situation meant that it could not accommodate the new industries of the 19th century, and its canals lent the city a unique ambience… one might say that it is difficult to take a bad photograph in Venice." This elegant folio volume's 100 exhibition-size warm-toned photogravures—each image measuring 9 by 13 inches—are widely praised as "a joy to behold" (Parr & Badger I:19). Compiled by Ferdinando Ongania, who selected the unnamed photographers for this work, Streets and Canals of Venice evokes a timeless world of gondolas on shimmering canals, regal palaces and sunlit campos. Here are images of the Grand Canal, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Mark, Piazza San Marco, Palazzo Ducal and many more, recalling a world that urged Shelley "never to leave sweet Venice," and inspired Dickens to write: "Venice is beyond the fancy of the wildest dreamer." With letterpress title pages printed in black and red, featuring engraved vignette, additional title page after a watercolor by U. Ongania. Text in Italian. Watson, Images of Italy, 44-45.

Only occasional very minor foxing to margins, plates clean and fine, excellent impressions of the photogravures. A few minor rubs and discolorations to covers. A near-fine copy of this impressive folio volume in attractive contemporary morocco.