Between 1665 and 1669, Wenceslaus Hollar published a series of views of contemporary northern Italian towns and cities. He had previously produced illustrations of famous ancient monuments in the country, which he is never recorded to have visited. His patron, the Earl of Arundel, however, had toured Italy extensively, collecting both curiosities and contacts, and it is possible that Hollar’s etchings were thus inspired by Arundel’s collection or anecdotes. Hollar may of course have visited the places shown himself, but there is no documentation of such a journey.

The series includes a view of Besagno, with four large villas on the banks of the river, two of St Julian d’Arba, again with large country houses and waterways, and three of Genoa, one showing its fortified walls and great domed cathedral, and the other two presenting a more pastoral, idyllic picture. Some of the etchings contain figures, but on the whole the emphasis is clearly on the natural landscape and buildings.

The series was first published by Arthur Tooker in London, although the second state, as here, has his address removed.