BORGHESI, Giovanni Battista (1790-1846). Le Principali Vedute di Venezia. Venice: Giuseppe Kier, [ca 1843].

Oblong 4to (284 x 403 mm). Lithographed vignette with hand coloring on title-page; 14 lithographed plates with hand coloring heightened in gum arabic. (Some mostly marginal spotting.) Original blue watered silk gilt (rebacked preserving original spine); quarter morocco slipcase. Provenance: Angelo Toffoli (1806-1877), Minister of the Republic of Venice (inscription on flyleaf, Paris, 23 November 1850, autograph letter signed tipped in, see below); Marie-Dominique-Auguste Sibour (1792-1857), French Catholic Archbishop of Paris (autograph letter draft tipped in, see below).

A fine edition of illustrated views of Venice by Borghesi, who taught at the Academy of Parma and painted frescoes there. [Tipped in:] TOFFOLI, Angelo. Letter signed ("Angelo Toffoli"), Paris, 21 January 1851. To the Archbishop of Paris. -- SIBOUR, Marie-Dominique-Auguste, Archbishop of Paris. Autograph letter, Paris, 29 January 1851. To Angelo Toffoli. A draft of a response unsigned. See below.

A FINE ASSOCIATION COPY. Angelo Toffoli was a member of the Venetian resistance against Austrian forces during the Revolution of 1848. The citizens of Venice fought back against Austrian occupation, all giving what they could afford to the state treasury to bolster the defense. Early in 1849, Daniele Manin was chosen president of the Republic of Venice, and Angelo Toffoli was named Minister in the new government. The defense held until 24 August 1849, when provisions and ammunition were exhausted, and Manin and his men (including Toffoli) negotiated an honorable capitulation and were granted exile and left Venice for France.

Toffoli presents this token of his beloved homeland to the Archbishop of France, Marie-Dominique-Auguste Sibour, who rose to his position largely because of his prompt adhesion to the new government after the Revolution of 1848. In his letter to the Archbishop, Toffoli is grateful for the hospitable nature of the French people, and thanks the Archbishop for his sympathy. In his draft response, the Archbishop thanks Toffoli for his gift, and honors the men who honored Venice with their courage and patriotism: "Je n'avais certainement pas besoin de cela pour queue ma pensee see reporter souvenir sure l'infortunee Venise en sure less hommes qui l'our dans honoree par leur Courage, leur patriotism en leurs malheurs."

Property from the Dorros Family Collection

BORGHESI, Giovanni Battista (1790-1846). Le Principali Vedute di Venezia. Venice: Giuseppe Kier, [ca 1843].

BORGHESI, Giovanni Battista (1790-1846). Le Principali Vedute di Venezia. Venice: Giuseppe Kier, [ca 1843].