The image of Venice

About this book

"The city of Venice holds a special place in the global imagination. This book explores the creation of one of its largest surviving depictions, which has remained almost unknown to the wider public since its creation exactly four centuries ago. Signed and dated 1611, the painting is the work of a notable early seventeenth-century Bolognese artist, Odoardo Fialetti. His huge bird's-eye view of the watery townscape is enlivened by first-hand observation of tiny vignettes of Venetian life. Eight square metres in size, this remarkable painting is a tour-de-force among depictions of cities. In 1636 the painting was donated to Eton College by the former British ambassador to Venice, Sir Henry Wotton. This beautiful commemorative volume takes a closer look at the picture's remarkable history, set in the context of the rich history of views of Venice from Gentile Bellini to Canaletto."--Front inside flap of dust jacket.