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SKU: CG-FLPM-1876-VENICE-DUCAL
Original illustrated magazine leaves from Frank Leslie’s Popular Monthly, Volume I (first year of publication), 1876, pages 85–86.
These pages contain three finely detailed wood engravings depicting scenes from Venice, Italy, including architecture and daily life along the Venetian canals.
Illustrations include:
• “The Ducal Palace, Venice” — a large full-page engraving showing the inner courtyard of the Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace), including the famous Scala dei Giganti (Staircase of the Giants) and the surrounding Renaissance architecture.
• “A Venetian Fruit-Seller Going His Rounds” — a scene of a produce vendor navigating the canals in a gondola-style boat, delivering fruit to homes along the water.
• “Afternoon in the Fish Market, Venice” — a lively depiction of the Rialto fish market, showing vendors working beneath temporary awnings while boats unload goods along the quay.
The engravings illustrate both the monumental architecture and everyday commercial life of Venice in the nineteenth century.
Frank Leslie’s Popular Monthly, first issued in 1876, was a major American illustrated magazine published in New York. The publication combined travel writing, literature, and cultural commentary with detailed wood engravings illustrating cities, landscapes, and historical subjects from around the world.
Significance
During the nineteenth century Venice was one of the most celebrated destinations for European and American travelers. Illustrated magazines such as Frank Leslie’s Popular Monthly introduced readers to famous landmarks and daily life in historic cities through detailed engravings.
The Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale) served for centuries as the political center of the Venetian Republic and remains one of the most iconic examples of Venetian Gothic architecture. The engraving captures the dramatic courtyard architecture and ceremonial staircase where Venetian doges were traditionally crowned.
Scenes of canal life and market commerce further illustrate the distinctive urban culture of Venice, where transportation and trade revolved around waterways rather than streets.
Illustrated views of major European cities were among the most popular subjects in Victorian periodicals and are widely collected today for their architectural and historical interest.
Condition
Good antique condition.
Light toning and scattered spotting typical of nineteenth-century magazine paper.
Minor edge wear and small corner creasing.
Prints and text remain clear and well defined.
Please examine photographs carefully for condition.
Venice Ducal Palace engraving
Palazzo Ducale Venice print
Rialto fish market engraving
Venetian gondola scene
Frank Leslie illustrated magazine
19th century Venice illustration
Victorian travel engraving
