VENETIA

THE VERY RARE SECOND STATE (of four) with the imprint Luca Bertelli for[mis]. Giacomo Franco fecit. 1580.

According with Bifolco-Ronca (cf. p. 2482, tav. 1270) ONLY ONE COPY of the first edition is known.

Etching with engraving, a fine impression printed on contemporary laid paper, with thin margins, small spots, restored areas at the lower cornes (only in the white margins), otherwise very good condition.

Perspective map of Venice, engraved by Giacomo Franco for the publisher Luca Bertelli. It is a further derivation of the great map by Paolo Forlani (1565), very similar to the previous version of the Franco, made for Claudio Duchetti. However, they are made some topographical updates concerning the stone construction of the Cannaregio bridge. In fact, the references read: "151 - The bridge of canareglio is made of stone”. Another difference is the presence of the fortress of S. Nicolò, which appears north-east of the Lido. The first state of the work (1580), unknown to the literature - cf. Bifolco Ronca (2018) p. 2482, is kept in the collection of the Universitats bibliothek of Salzburg and bears the imprint of the publisher Luca Bertelli.

The Rialto bridge, still in wood, is represented in its original form a semicircle. In the references we read: "150 - The bridge de rialto is made of wood with many shops above one and the other".

At the bottom of the engraving, where the legend is found, a vignette is engraved with two typical Venetian costumes, probably taken from a subject by Cesare Vecelio (although the first edition of the work “De gli habiti antichi, et moderna” was published only in 1590).

This costume scene, which will be changed in the subsequent issue of the plate, is the main element to distinguish the four editions of the work. The map was reprinted (1597) by Giacomo Franco himself; the plate is amended with the update relating to the new Rialto bridge, now in stone, and the vignette below is changed. With the date 1597 a further version is known that, in place of the costumes, shows a gondola regata. The last issue of the map sees the lower legend removed, replaced from a scene depicting the procession of Corpus Christi. Cassini claims that these latest editions are dedicated by Franco to the ceremony of the coronation of the dogaressa Morosina Morosini. Wife of the Doge Marino Grimani, when, in 1597, her husband was elected to the highest office of the State, a grand coronation party was organized for her: the Dogaressa arrived in Piazza SanMarco aboard the Bucintoro adorned with gold and silk drapes, with a continuation of 400 ladies.

Bibliografia
Bifolco-Ronca, Cartografia e Topografia Italiana del XVI secolo, Catalogo ragionato delle opera a stampa (2018), tav. 1270 II/IV; Brandhuber-Juffinger (2011); n. 59; Cassini (1971): n. 25; Marinelli (1881): n. 615; Moretto (2001): nn. 37, 38, 52; Romanelli-Biadene (1982): n. 19; Schulz (1970): pp. 60-61, n. 58-59 e p. 62, n. 65.

Censimento
1°: Salisburgo, Universitatsbibliothek. 2°: Berlino, Kupferstichkabinet; Monaco di Baviera, Staatlische Graphische Sammlung; Venezia, Museo Correr. 4°: Venezia, Museo Correr.