![[A boy caressing a girl's face.] III.](jpegs/65594.jpg)
[A boy caressing a girl's face.] III. Clarissimo Viro Dno Dno Josepho Smith Anglo Bonarum artium Promotori et Protectori beneficentissimo in grati animi argumentum D.D.D.
Jo. Bapta Piazzetta delineavit. Joannes Cattini Sculptor Venetus.
[Venice: Pasquali Press, c.1754.]
Rare etching, 445 x 335mm (17½ x 13¼"), on 18th century watermarked paper. Slight creasing.
Portrait of Joseph Smith (c.1682 – 1770), commonly referred to as Consul Smith, served as the British consul in Venice from 1744 to 1760. He was a prominent patron of the arts, most notably supporting the painter Canaletto, a distinguished collector and connoisseur, financial agent for the British community in Venice, and a key figure attracting British travelers during the Grand Tour. The third of 14 portraits in the series 'Icones ad vivum expressae', engraved by Giovanni Cattini after Giovanni Battista Piazzetta. The dedication is to Joseph Smith (c.1674-1770), the British consul in Venice 1744-60, whose art collection was bought by George III in 1761. The first edition was published by the Pasquali Press in 1743, who reprinted them in 1754 with Latin numerals on each portrait (as this example), and again in 1763; in 1767 they were republished by Teodoro Viero with a new publication line.
BM 1951,0714.247
[Ref: 65594] £480.00
[Venice: Pasquali Press, c.1754.]
Rare etching, 445 x 335mm (17½ x 13¼"), on 18th century watermarked paper. Slight creasing.
Portrait of Joseph Smith (c.1682 – 1770), commonly referred to as Consul Smith, served as the British consul in Venice from 1744 to 1760. He was a prominent patron of the arts, most notably supporting the painter Canaletto, a distinguished collector and connoisseur, financial agent for the British community in Venice, and a key figure attracting British travelers during the Grand Tour. The third of 14 portraits in the series 'Icones ad vivum expressae', engraved by Giovanni Cattini after Giovanni Battista Piazzetta. The dedication is to Joseph Smith (c.1674-1770), the British consul in Venice 1744-60, whose art collection was bought by George III in 1761. The first edition was published by the Pasquali Press in 1743, who reprinted them in 1754 with Latin numerals on each portrait (as this example), and again in 1763; in 1767 they were republished by Teodoro Viero with a new publication line.
BM 1951,0714.247
[Ref: 65594] £480.00