Apparently, the Ducal Court of Parma valued Abbati's artistic ability, since it provided him in 1706 with a letter of recommendation for a stay in Venice.
During this time Abbati prepared publications of stage sets and brochures after the drafts of his teacher Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena, including The Varie opere di Prospettiva, a collection of 72 mostly large-format plates documenting Galli-Bibiena's early activity as a designer of theatrical scenery and ephemeral architecture.
It was assembled by Abbati who had trained with this master during his tenure as "Pittore di Corte" to the Farnese Dukes of Parma, in collaboration with Carlo Antonio Buffagnotti, an industrious printmaker from Bologna.
He remained a court artist of the Farnese and received from them a fixed monthly income of 73 lire starting from November 1718.
For his procurement of costumes for a horse dance performance in honor of the Duke, according to a receipt, he received 1500 lire in January 1733.