Bird's-Eye View of the City of Casale di Monferrato

Francesco Zucchi

ca. 1730–40 · Pen and black and brown ink over red chalk, gray wash · Drawings and Prints

Large horizontal sheet with a detailed rendering of a birds-eye view of the city of Casale di Monferrato in Piemonte. In the seventeenth century, the city was under French rule and during that time, Louis XIV’s great military strategist, Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban (1633-1707) applied his ideals for the city walls and battlements to the medieval plan of the town, which are clearly visible in this rendering of the city in birds-eye view. by Francesco Zucchi. The Italian artist was known for his precise landscapes and city views, which were often made in preparation for a print or book illustration.

Artist

Francesco Zucchi

Date

ca. 1730–40

Medium

Pen and black and brown ink over red chalk, gray wash

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Edward Pearce Casey Fund, 2016