{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O617609"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O617609/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014HC1698/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014HC1698/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2014HC1698","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O617609/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O617609","accessionNumber":"D.1477-1886","objectType":"drawing","titles":[{"title":"Longitudinal section of the staircase of San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"The drawing shows a longitudinal section through the main staircase of the complex of San Giorgio Maggiore – a Benedictine monastery located on the island of San Giorgio, in Venice. Built after the design of Baldassare Longhena (1598-1682) from 1643, the staircase is composed of a large hall with two, symmetric L-shaped ramps departing from a central flight of steps. This drawing is a longitudinal section through the back of the hall. It features the two symmetric ramps rising to the archways of the upper level with a two-storey portico at the centre of the hall. At ground level, the portico consists of a three-bay screen of arches on Ionic columns flanked by smaller wall segments. The portico of the upper level is composed of an order of Corinthian pilasters on pedestals set against arches on piers, with niches in the lateral bays. The hall is terminated by a simplified Corinthian entablature surmounted by a flattened vault.  \n\nThe drawing belongs to a set of 66 measured drawings of Italian Renaissance and Ancient Roman architecture which the V&amp;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 <i>Admiranda Artis Architecturae Varia</i> is kept) and at the British Library (which holds the three-volume <i>Admiranda Urbis Venetae</i>), 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. \n\r\nThe 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.\r\n","physicalDescription":"Longitudinal section of the staircase of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice, in pencil, pen and ink with grey wash on paper.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown, circle of Antonio Visentini (1688-1782)","id":"AUTH353400"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"pencil","id":"x30347"},{"text":"pen and ink","id":"x30618"},{"text":"wash","id":"AAT11051"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"architectural drawing","id":"AAT54197"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pencil, pen and ink with grey wash on paper","categories":[{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"},{"text":"Architecture","id":"THES48993"},{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2014HC1698"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLE","id":"THES49657"},"free":"","case":"A","shelf":"106","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"drawing","id":"AAT33973"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Italy","id":"x28927"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"mid 18th century","earliest":"1725-01-01","latest":"1775-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"486","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":"Measurements taken at the opening of the mount"},{"dimension":"Width","value":"353","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":"Measurements taken at the opening of the mount"}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"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 &amp; 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.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Longitudinal section of the staircase of San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice, Italy, mid 18th century (made)","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"McAndrew, John. <u>Catalogue of the Drawings Collection of the Royal Institute of British Architects: Antonio Visentini</u>. Farnsborough: Gregg, 1974. 130p., ill. ISBN 0576159999."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Modesti, Paola. I disegni architettonici di Antonio Visentini (1688-1782): un corpus autografo inedito e una produzione con un’etichetta da riconsiderare. <u>In</u>: Alessandro Bordini and Giovanna Curcio, eds. <u>Porre un limite all’infinito errore.’ Studi di storia dell’architettura dedicati a Christof Thoenes</u>. Rome: Campisano, 2014. pp. 191-208, ill. ISBN 8888168524."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Vivian, Francis. <u>The Consul Smith Collection: masterpieces of Italian drawing from the Royal Library, Windsor Castle : Raphael to Canaletto</u>. Munich: Hirmer, 1989. 200 p., ill. ISBN 3777452505."}],"production":"This longitudinal section is one of four drawings of the staircase of San Giorgio Maggiore included in the E. Parsons series (D.1478-1886; D.1482-1886; D. 1489-1886) and is comparable to two loose sheets at the Royal Collection (RCIN919310; RCIN910511).","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"staircases","id":"AAT3228"},{"text":"buildings","id":"AAT4792"},{"text":"sections","id":"AAT34223"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["D.1477-1886"],"accessionNumberNum":"1477","accessionNumberPrefix":"D","accessionYear":1886,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-07","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-30","availableToBook":false}}