BERNARDO BELLOTTO Perspective de la Façade de la Roïale Eglise Catolique avec une part du Palais.
Etching, 1748. 545x839 mm; 21 1/2x33 1/2 inches, wide margins. First state (of 5), with the arms etched from a separate plate and the words "Peint, dessiné, et gravé oar Bernard Bellotto dit Canalletto 1748." Pine cone with letters watermark. A superb, richly-inked and early impression with traces of the guidelines for the text in the lower margin distinct and with pentimenti of the wheel on the cart lower left extending into the left margin.
Bellotto (circa 1721/22-1780), was a northern Italian painter or vedutista and printmaker, famous for his etched vedute of 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. DeVesme 11.
