Gaetano Zompini

(Italian, 1700 - 1778)

The Arts that go by way of the city of Venice - Gaetano Zompini, (Treviso 1700 - Venice 1778). Work published in 1785 when Zompini was already dead.

Single volume mm 360 x 260. No. 60 copper engravings, mm 270 x 180 + three engravings consisting of:

-Illustrated frontispiece:

-Title engraved within a decorated border;

-Index of engravings.

Elegant half-leather binding with gold-stamped spine bearing the work's title in English "Cries of Venice" inscribed in gold.

Each engraving has a Venetian caption at the bottom and an original English label underneath. Fairly well preserved, signs of use and a small part of the spine at the bottom.

The first edition was published between 1773 and 1774. In 1735 John Strange, an English collector living in Venice, purchased the copper engravings after Zompini's death. A first edition in Venice in 1785 with the caption in Venetian verse written by the priest Questini was followed by a London edition with a free translation into English of the captions in verse, glued to the foot of each engraving (CFR Stefania Maronato, Gaetano Zompini, Venice 1988, page 294 - The Fashion Professions in Venice from the XIII to the XVIII).

Zompini was inspired for his etchings by the collection of drawings by Annibale Carracci entitled The Arts of Bologna, in which street vendors and artisans are depicted. Zompini, in his etchings, was also influenced by the Venetian painting of Pietro Longhi and the comedies of Carlo Goldoni. With these engravings he manages to capture the liveliness of the Venetian alleys.