Giovanni Vendramini

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Giovanni Vendramini (1769-8 February 1839) was an Italian engraver.

He was born at Roncade near Bassano. He pursued his studies in his own country till nineteen, when he came to London, and completed his artistic education under Bartolozzi. In 1802 he married an English wife, and in 1805 he went to Russia, and spent two years in that country. He was patronized by the Emperor and the court, and his talents so highly appreciated, that he was refused a passport when he was desirous of returning to England. He, however, with the assistance of his friend, the Duke of Saracapriolo at that time Neapolitan ambassador, contrived to escape, disguised us a courier charged with dispatches. His departure was hastened by an accident that happened to a large cameo, Alexander and Olympia, from which he had to engrave a plate for the emperor. On his return to England he engraved several popular pictures by contemporary painters. Among these are, The Vision of S. Catherine, after Paolo Veronese; S. Sebastian after Jusepe Ribera; Leda after Leonardo da Vinci; and lastly, the Raising of Lazarus after Sebastiano del Piombo. Vendramini was a very accurate draughtsman, and frequently engraved from a picture without making a preparatory drawing. He died in London.

[edit] References

• Bryan, Michael (1889). in Walter Armstrong & Robert Edmund Graves: Dictionary of Painters and Engravers, Biographical and Critical (Volume II L-Z). York St. #4, Covent Garden, London; Original from Fogg Library, Digitized May 18, 2007: George Bell and Sons, page 651.