Painter, architect and decorator, Jacopo Fabris was born in Venice to parents of German origin. He was active in Italy and abroad. In 1719-21 he was court painter in Karlsruhe, Germany, where he worked on theatrical decoration, a genre in which he was very skilled, having practiced it since his youth. At fifteen he had been among the decorators of the stage of the Hamburg Theatre. He would often work in this capacity, especially in Copenhagen where he lived from 1742 onwards.

His oeuvre as a painter includes many easel paintings of veduta scenes. He painted numerous works, like the present View of the Rialto and the Fish Market, Venice, that were objective depictions of actual sites. These charming scenes composed of relatively exact topographical elements are presented as romantic and gentle reminiscences for visitors to Venice. He also painted realistic views of St. Paul’s Cathedral, Piazza Navona, the Tiber, many other images of Venice.