Lot Essay
Opened in 1770, Caffé Florian was frequented by the diarist Casanova and the sculptor Canova, who it is said carved a model of Floriano's gout-stricken foot to save him the pain of being measured for a new pair of shoes. In the 19th Century, Florian's continued to attract Venice's most distinguished visitors including Byron, Marcel Proust and Henry James who described it in the Aspen Papers.