Stefano Mozzi Scolari «stampadore e miniatore di stampe di rame» in 17th century Venice: life, activity and successors

Abstract

Born around Brescia around 1612, Stefano Mozzi Scolari was active in Venice between 1644 and 1687 as printer. He was among the firsts to devote his activity entirely to illustrated editions. It is possible to distinguish three fields of his activity: the reproduction of already published copperplates, mainly geographical; the collaboration with Giacomo Piccini and Giovanni Merlo as editor and printer of images commissioned by himself; the one as printer of images drawn by himself. Scolari’s enterprise had two specific features, such as the reproduction of already existing works –more favourable for his printer shop- and the production of images from the city life and the contemporary events. Geographically, his professional activity developed in Venice around the parish church of San Zulian, where he also probably had lived since 1642. He was an active member of the guilds “dei Pittori” between 1660 and 1683 and regular participant in the Capitoli della Scuola del Santissimo Sacramento of San Zulian between 1660 and 1691. The analysis of his three wills provides with several information regarding his family and his professional acquaintances. His personal condition results as that of a well-off craftsman, owner of a printer shop but not more. He died in 1691. Three years before his death, he wrote, together with Francesco Busetto and Giacomo Zini, the inventory of the bookshop of Giovanni Battista Scalvinoni. Further archival records confirm that his nephew, Stephan, was active in the same area as trader of engravings.