CASSAS, LOUIS FRANCOIS: VIEW OF THE PERISTYL IN SPLIT

This view is from the monumental work of L. F. Cassas and Joseph Lavallée, "Voyage pittoresque et historique de l'Istrie et de la Dalmatie". It was created based on watercolours painted by painter L. F. Cassas during his trip to Istria and Dalmatia in 1782. The text of the monograph, published exactly 20 years after the trip, was written by J. Lavallée. He never visited Dalmatia, but he used Cassas's notes, Fortis's "Viaggio in Dalmazia " and other sources. Original watercolours are kept in Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Several copper engravers and etchers were involved in the production of copper engravings and etchings, including Jean Baptiste Reville, the Niquet brothers, François Denis Née and others. Their task was complicated by the fact that their templates were colour images rather than drawings, which is usually the case. This view was engraved by Fayn, and the cooper plate was finished by Maillet. The view shows Peristil, i.e. the square in front of the cathedral. Apart from the faithful display of the architecture of the square its special value lies in skillfully and dynamically displayed characters of the inhabitants of Split during their daily activities.