Renaissance architecture

An important record of contemporary Renaissance architecture in Rome. Falda was one of the first to attempt an extensive and systematic record of contemporary Roman architecture. Despite Falda's perspective work being a bit uneven, his engravings remains of great historic value and of special interest in showing the development in Italy of the realistic approach to architectural representation.

Complete copy of Nuovo Teatro and the first two parts (of four) of Fontane. The de' Rossi catalog of 1735 gives 35 and 17 leaves respectively, while the Fowler copy has 37 and 21, for the first two parts of Nuovo Teatro. The Blunt copy has 89 plates, CABS copy has 84 plates, each copy also has 3 engraved title pages and 1 dedication leaf. Our copy has 37, 15, and 36 leaves, totalling 88 plates for the Nuovo Teatro, which tallies with the Olschki copy, and 32, and 15 leaves respectively for the first two parts of Fontane.

Five works in one; landscape folio (27 x 40 cm); 5 engraved title-pages, 3 engraved dedication leaves, 128 engraved plates, text in Italian, touch of marginal spotting but otherwise remarkably clean; contemporary full vellum, remains of spine label, professionally recased, a little worn, a very good copy.