Elevation of Palazzo Corner della Ca’ Granda, Venice
Drawing
mid 18th century (made)
mid 18th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The drawing shows an elevation of Palazzo Corner della Ca’ Granda in Venice, begun in 1533 after the design of Jacopo Sansovino (1486-1570). The palace was commissioned to replace the pre-existing Palazzo Malombra, which was destroyed by a fire in August 1532. The elevation is composed of three levels: the first level is a rusticated base with Doric aediculae and volute brackets around the openings. The three central arches give access to an atrium. The second level is characterized by paired Ionic half columns on pedestals set against arches on piers. This level is surmounted by a pulvinated Ionic entablature. The third level is a replica of the second with half columns of the Corinthian order. The elevation is surmounted by a tall Corinthian entablature with oval openings framed by scroll moldings inserted the frieze.
The drawing belongs to a set of 66 measured drawings of Italian Renaissance and Ancient Roman architecture which the V&A purchased from Edwin Parsons in 1886. The Parsons set may belong to a larger series of over 700 architectural drawings scattered in English and international collections formerly owned by the British Consul at Venice, Joseph Smith (1682-1770). A proponent of Palladian architecture, Smith began collecting measured drawings of classical and Renaissance architecture from the early 1740s. Today, most of this material exists in a series of bound volumes at the Royal Collection (where the Admiranda Artis Architecturae Varia is kept) and at the British Library (which holds the three-volume Admiranda Urbis Venetae), as well as in loose sheets scattered in collections across Europe and North America including the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Canadian Centre for Architecture.
The author of these drawings is unknown. However, their style and subject matter suggests the involvement of the Venetian architect, painter, engraver and theorist Antonio Visentini (1688-1782). A member of the Venetian Academy since its foundation in 1755, Visentini was affiliated with Smith and executed a vast number of architectural drawings for the British Consul as well as for a broader British collector base. Most of these drawings are scaled in English feet and consist of simplified plans and elevations of exemplary Italian architecture. Often produced as a series, the drawings were purchased by British Gentlemen to be included in their libraries and collections. The present drawing forms part of this material. The drawing is not signed by Visentini, but may have been produced by one of Visentini’s workshop members or pupils or by an unknown draughtsman working in the style of Visentini.
The drawing belongs to a set of 66 measured drawings of Italian Renaissance and Ancient Roman architecture which the V&A purchased from Edwin Parsons in 1886. The Parsons set may belong to a larger series of over 700 architectural drawings scattered in English and international collections formerly owned by the British Consul at Venice, Joseph Smith (1682-1770). A proponent of Palladian architecture, Smith began collecting measured drawings of classical and Renaissance architecture from the early 1740s. Today, most of this material exists in a series of bound volumes at the Royal Collection (where the Admiranda Artis Architecturae Varia is kept) and at the British Library (which holds the three-volume Admiranda Urbis Venetae), as well as in loose sheets scattered in collections across Europe and North America including the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Canadian Centre for Architecture.
The author of these drawings is unknown. However, their style and subject matter suggests the involvement of the Venetian architect, painter, engraver and theorist Antonio Visentini (1688-1782). A member of the Venetian Academy since its foundation in 1755, Visentini was affiliated with Smith and executed a vast number of architectural drawings for the British Consul as well as for a broader British collector base. Most of these drawings are scaled in English feet and consist of simplified plans and elevations of exemplary Italian architecture. Often produced as a series, the drawings were purchased by British Gentlemen to be included in their libraries and collections. The present drawing forms part of this material. The drawing is not signed by Visentini, but may have been produced by one of Visentini’s workshop members or pupils or by an unknown draughtsman working in the style of Visentini.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Elevation of Palazzo Corner della Ca’ Granda, Venice (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Pencil, pen and ink with grey wash on paper |
| Brief description | Elevation of Palazzo Corner della Ca’ Granda, Venice, Italy, mid 18th century (made) |
| Physical description | Elevation Palazzo Corner della Ca’ Granda in Venice, in pencil, pen and ink with grey wash, on paper. The drawing, in portrait format, depicts the façade of the building seen from the Grand Canal with a plan of the façade relief below. A linear scale in English feet is inscribed in pen in the bottom centre of the sheet. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Object history | The object was purchased from Edwin Parsons in 1886 as part of a collection of 66 drawings of Italian Renaissance and Ancient Roman architecture. Edwin Parsons was a dealer in books, prints and drawings. He was the founder of Edwin Parsons & Sons (1850-1950s) at 45 Brompton Road SW7. Parsons had a notable client base reportedly including the writer William Makepeace Thackeray, Sir John Pierpoint Morgan (of J.P. Morgan), and Napoleon III. |
| Production | The drawing depicts the façade of the palace in simplified form omitting the high-reliefs inserted in the spandrels of the two higher orders, and the masks and lion heads carved into the keystones of the arches. Further drawings of Palazzo Corner della Ca’ Granda executed in the manner of Visentini exist as loose sheets at he Royal Institute of British Architects (SB42[160]) and in the the three-volume Admiranda Urbis Venetae at the British Library (71.i.1). |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The drawing shows an elevation of Palazzo Corner della Ca’ Granda in Venice, begun in 1533 after the design of Jacopo Sansovino (1486-1570). The palace was commissioned to replace the pre-existing Palazzo Malombra, which was destroyed by a fire in August 1532. The elevation is composed of three levels: the first level is a rusticated base with Doric aediculae and volute brackets around the openings. The three central arches give access to an atrium. The second level is characterized by paired Ionic half columns on pedestals set against arches on piers. This level is surmounted by a pulvinated Ionic entablature. The third level is a replica of the second with half columns of the Corinthian order. The elevation is surmounted by a tall Corinthian entablature with oval openings framed by scroll moldings inserted the frieze. The drawing belongs to a set of 66 measured drawings of Italian Renaissance and Ancient Roman architecture which the V&A purchased from Edwin Parsons in 1886. The Parsons set may belong to a larger series of over 700 architectural drawings scattered in English and international collections formerly owned by the British Consul at Venice, Joseph Smith (1682-1770). A proponent of Palladian architecture, Smith began collecting measured drawings of classical and Renaissance architecture from the early 1740s. Today, most of this material exists in a series of bound volumes at the Royal Collection (where the Admiranda Artis Architecturae Varia is kept) and at the British Library (which holds the three-volume Admiranda Urbis Venetae), as well as in loose sheets scattered in collections across Europe and North America including the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Canadian Centre for Architecture. The author of these drawings is unknown. However, their style and subject matter suggests the involvement of the Venetian architect, painter, engraver and theorist Antonio Visentini (1688-1782). A member of the Venetian Academy since its foundation in 1755, Visentini was affiliated with Smith and executed a vast number of architectural drawings for the British Consul as well as for a broader British collector base. Most of these drawings are scaled in English feet and consist of simplified plans and elevations of exemplary Italian architecture. Often produced as a series, the drawings were purchased by British Gentlemen to be included in their libraries and collections. The present drawing forms part of this material. The drawing is not signed by Visentini, but may have been produced by one of Visentini’s workshop members or pupils or by an unknown draughtsman working in the style of Visentini. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | D.1448-1886 |
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| Record created | June 30, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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