As pointed out by B. Aikema in Schilders van Venetie, exhibition catalogue Rijksmuseum, 1990/91, pp. 85/86, the artist was the son of the painter Joseph Heintz the Elder who worked at the court of Rudolph II in Prague. He settled in Venice early in his career where he would remain until his death. There he specialised in the depiction of Venetian festivals. His work is characterised by a naive use of perspective; his figures are reminiscent of those in etchings by Jacques Callot.

The present lot gives an accurate rendering of the courtyard of the Doge's Palace in the 17th century, with the Sala dello Scrutinio on the left and to the right the Sala del Maggior Consiglio. In the courtyard the bronze well executed by Alfonso Alberghetti between 1554-59 is seen in front of the Androne Foscari. This was the covered corridor leading from the Piazza San Marco towards the Palace. In the right background lies the Giants' staircase, designed by Antonio Rizzo. The giants themselves were sculpted by Sansovino

See colour illustration