Giuseppe VASI (1710 - 1782) - Lot 418

Giuseppe VASI (1710 - 1782) Raccolta delle piu belle vedute antiche e moderne di Roma, designate ed incise secondo lo stato presente [...]. Roma, 1803. 2 volumes in-4°, oblong. Very fine album with two frontispiece vignettes and 209 views of Rome drawn and copper-engraved by Giuseppe Vasi. New, enlarged edition (some plates are not numbered) by Mariano Vasi (1744 - 1822), who continued to publish his father's works. The first edition of this series appeared in ten issues between 1741 and 1761. Copper engravings. Proofs on laid paper. Engraved subjects: H. 21 cm - W. 29.8 cm approx. Leaves: H. 28.8 cm - W. 40.8 cm AC Conservation: 4 leaves have been reinforced with a strip of paper in the corners of the lower margin. Spotting and/or foxing here and there. Binding spine rubbed, boards slightly faded, corners worn. Like Piranesi, whose master he was, Giuseppe Vasi is famous for his engravings of Rome. Among his most emblematic works is the series presented here. In this series of panoramic views of ancient monuments and modern buildings, the artist captures the grandeur of the Eternal City in a remarkable staging. While his engravings are rich in architectural detail and perspective, as Piranesi's would later be, they are first and foremost lively, already distinguished by a special atmosphere to which the bustle of people and the to-and-fro of carriages in the squares and streets greatly contribute. By restoring the splendor of Rome through his art as an engraver and vedutist, Giuseppe Vasi's visual testimony has considerably enriched our knowledge of the city in the 18th century. Present in all major public collections, this collection of views of Rome is much sought-after by art lovers and collectors alike.