VIEW OF POREČ

Inventory number 542

Original title: Parenzo, Histrie siue Dalmatie opp

Publishing year: 1580

Place of publishing and publisher: Venetia

Format: 13 x 8,5 cm

Technique: Copper engraving

Similar to the vedute of Zadar (inv. no. 540) and Šibenik (inv. no. 541), Francesco Valegio presented this panoramic view of Poreč from a bird's eye view, observed from the sea. The map is completely identical to Rafaello Savonarola's 18th-century depiction and it is of the same dimensions (inv. no. 391), and there is noticeable similarity with Braun-Hogenberg's work on the same subject. For this version, sources state that it was published in the work Raccolta de le piu illustri et famose citta di tutto il mondo. The city is well protected by small islands, one of which is St. Nicholas’, carrying a depiction of a lighthouse. On the island, Venetian Benedictines blessed new ships and issued “Miraculous Medals” to protect seafarers from distress at sea, which resulted in a lucrative business. Poreč is fortified, especially from the sea, while the land rampart is visible only from the east. The structure of the buildings within the city walls is schematized, with the exception of a few towers and bell towers and the Euphrasian Basilica complex. There are several Venetian warships with auxiliary vessels in front of the city. The city's hinterland to the north comprises unpopulated foothills with dense vegetation. The title is located below the upper edge and the alternative title (Histrie siue Dalmatie opp) in the lower left corner.

VALEGIO, FRANCESCO

VALEGIO (VALESIO), FRANCESCO, (the most productive period was in the second half of the 17th century). His most well-known works were Territorio di Cremona from 1600, Vicenza from 1611, Bolognese from 1620, Segna from 1616, and Piemonte from 1640. His work Raccolta di le piu illustri et famose citta di tutto il mondo, with vedute of the Adriatic, was published in 1600, as a sort of response to earlier printed collections of vedute by Forlani, Zeno and Bertelli. This publication was published and printed several times, and with each new edition the number of vedute grew. Finally, the Venetian publisher Donato Rasicoti published the last edition of this work with over 300 vedute, under the changed title „Nuove raccolte...“ between 1610 and 1620. Valegio also collaborated with Martin Rota, most of whose vedute he published in his work “Raccolta di le piu illustri…”.