Francesco Albotto (Venice, Italy, c. 1721 – Venice, Italy, 1757)

Born around 1721 in Venice, Francesco Albotto was trained as a pupil of Michele Marieschi. After the death of his master in 1744, he inherited the studio and married his widow.

Details of his life are lacking. It is known, though, that he was enrolled in the Fraglia of Venetian painters from 1750 to 1756.

Unlike his master, the artist almost never strayed from the landscape models already set. Instead, he often sourced from other prints including Magnificentioris Selectioresque Venetiarum Prospectus engraved in the album by Marieschi himself –whose reprint he edited – and Urbis Venetiarum Prospectus celebriores, by Antonio Visentini.

In 1971 the art historian Rodolfo Pallucchini found the Veduta di Palazzo Ducale signed by the artist at a New York antique dealer. That work will later help 20th century art historians to codify and distinguish his painting practice.

He died in Venice in 1757.

Photo UniCredit Group (Sebastiano Pellion di Persano)