Design for a cannon with the arms of Bologna

Details

PIETRO ZANINI (ITALIAN, 17TH CENTURY?)
Design for a cannon with the arms of Bologna
signed and inscribed ‘Pietro Zanini’ (lower center) and ‘Del Seco.do: Genere Mezzo Canone Moderno Rinforzato Accolubrinato di Bocche 24’ (upper center) and ‘Scala di: 90: Ottavi Diametro della Bo.ca’ (upper right) and ‘vento della Palla’ (lower right) and ‘LIBERTAS’ (twice)
pen and brown ink, brown wash
8 3⁄8 x 47 in. (21.2 x 119.3 cm)

Provenance

Anonymous sale; Christie’s, South Kensington, 9 August 1995, lot 98.

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Elizabeth Seigel Vice President, Specialist, Head of Private and Iconic Collections

eseigel@christies.com +1 212 484 4812

Lot Essay

This impressively large and rare design for a cannon is signed by the otherwise unknown Pietro Zanini, possibly a founder. The presence of the arms of the city of Bologna suggest his activity was located in Emilia. Cannons similar to the one depicted here are described and illustrated in L’artiglieria di Pietro Sardi Romano divisa in tre libri, published in Venice in 1621.

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