Title: Tutte l'Opere d'Architettura et Prospettiva, 1600. Scarce Second Collected Edition of Serlio’s Famed Architectural Work, With Hundreds of Woodcuts, Many Full-Page
Author: Sebastiano Serlio; Giovanni Domenico Scamozzi
Publisher: In Vinegia, Presso gli heredi di Francesco de' Franceschi
Condition: Very Good
A scarce early 17th century second collected edition of Serlio’s seven books on architecture, the first edition having appeared in 1584. Amongst Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola, Andrea Palladio, and Vincenso Scamozzi, Serlio standards atop as one of the four Renaissance authors, having surpassed in importance Vitruvius and his sixteenth-century commentators.
There are hundreds of architectural woodcut illustrations throughout, many being full-page examples, and some being double-page examples. The woodcuts of Books I-V and Estraordinario are from the same blocks as those of the 1584 and the Venice 1566 quarto edition, those in Book VII are reduced copies of the Venice 1575 folio edition (Berlin Kat. 2572; Fowler 334.; Millard Italian 128; see Mortimer/Harvard Italian 477.).
There is a bit of misnumbering, with examples folio 20 skipping to 25, but signature counts collate as complete.
Folios 141, 158-163 184-185; 10, 15; and Pages 79-83 from the three respective parts are lacking. Between the misnumbering and lacking leaves, collating this volume was one of the most asinine tasks I’ve had to do on my Good Friday. So that’s why the price is also lowered a bit more slightly. Out of spite for this book.
Seven books finely bound into three parts in one volume in quarto, (24)+211 of 219; (1)+ 25 of 27 leaves; 239 of 243 pages
This volume is in very good shape, with minor rubbing and wear to the binding. The text block is starting to detach from the front but holding by several cords. There is minor foxing and staining throughout.