Historian Dr Sandra Toffolo has found a hitherto unknown drawing of Venice, dating to the mid-1300s, in a manuscript in Florence.

Dr Toffolo found the view of Venice in a manuscript by Niccolò da Poggibonsi. He was an Italian pilgrim who travelled to Jerusalem in 1346-1350. Niccolò da Poggibonsi left an account of his journey, and the pages about Venice contained the illustration.

The manuscript is probably from shortly after his return to Italy in 1350.

Very few original images exist of Venice from the Middle Ages, so such an early drawing of Venice is quite unique. Another early view of Venice is the famous map by Fra Paolino, also from the 1300s.

The discovery was published a few years back. It is therefore not exactly recent news, but I just saw it now, so for me it’s recent.