De Architectura libri decem, cum commentariis Danielis Barbari (Ten Books on Architecture, with Commentary by Daniele Barbaro)
Venice: Francesco de Franceschi and Johann Criegher, 1567. First Latin edition. Vellum. Folio (29.8 by 20 cm.). Signatures: a6 b4 A-2G6 2H8 (= 198 leaves); [20], 375, [1, printer's device] pp. More than 120 woodcut illustrations, plans, and diagrams throughout; initials. Contemporary vellum (lightly soiled), yapp edges. A few light stains or smudges (mostly marginal), including traces of inserted maple leaves at p. 395 else a fine copy.
First Latin edition of the editor's commentary on Vitruvius, originally published in Italian at Venice in 1556. The editor here follows closely the 1552 Philander edition of Vitruvius, though occasionally preferring some variants in Fra Giocondo's edition. The illustrations are reduced copies of those found in the Marcolini edition (Venice, 1556), and are attributed by Poleni and Cicognara to Johann Criegher. The large woodcut initials at the beginning of each book are from a mythological alphabet of Giolito (Fowler). The historian and scientist Daniele Barbaro (1513-1570) studied philosophy, mathematics, and astronomy at Padua. He actively served as coadjutor to Giovanni Grimani, the Patriarch of Aquileia and participated in the final sessions of the Council of Trent (1562-1563). Apart from the present work, he published commentaries on Porphyry and the Rhetoric of Aristotle. His 1569 work on perspective is regarded by many as his most original work. The second edition of Barbaro's Italian version of Vitruvius was also published by Franceschi and Criegher in 1567; some of the woodcuts in the present edition appeared in Barbaro's La pratica della perspettiva, published at Venice by the brothers Borgominieri in 1569.
The military and civil engineer Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (ca. 70-80 BCE - ca. 15 CE) is the author of the only surviving ancient treatise on architecture, arranged in ten books. By his own account, Vitruvius served in the Roman army under the command of Julius Caesar. Rediscovered by the Florentine humanist Poggio Bracciolini (1380-1459) in the library of Saint Gall Abbey, and publicized by Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472), Vitruvius’ De Architectura would later define the canon of classical architecture. His assertion that structures should exhibit the three qualities of stability (firmitatis), utility (utilitiatis), and beauty (venustatis) became a commonplace in architectural theory. The wide-ranging program of De Architectura deals with “principles of buildings in general, building materials, designs of theatres, temples and other public buildings, town and country houses, baths, interior decoration and wall paintings, clocks and dials, astronomy, mechanical and military engineering...” (PMM). Throughout the Renaissance, Vitruvius’ work provided inspiration for such important artists and architects as Michelangelo, Leon Battista Alberti, Donato Bramante, Lorenzo Ghiberti, Giacomo Vignola, Andrea Palladio and many others. The first printed edition of De Architectura appeared at Rome (ca. 1483-90); the first illustrated edition, at Venice (1511).
Provenance and annotations: bookplate of the Metropolitan Musuem of Art, Department of Prints, noting bequest of W. Gedney Beatty, 1941 (de-accessioned 2007); bookseller's ticket (John Tiranti & Co., London) at front pastedown; dated entry of Paul de Toullion (1684) at rear endleaf, along with a more recent entry. Nearly Fine. Item #55415
Adams V-909; Digital Cicognara Library 716, cf. 713 (Italian ed. 1556); Edit16 CNCE 48319; Fowler 409; Millard (Italian & Spanish), 161; Mortimer (Harvard Italian), 550; USTC 863690. Cf. PMM 26 (Vitruvius ed. 1483-90).
Full title and imprint: M. Vitruvii Pollionis de Architectura Libri Decem, cum Commentariis Danielis Barbari, Electi Patriarchae Aquileiensis; Multis Aedificiorum, Horologiorum, et Machinarum Descriptionibus, & figuris, unà cum indicibus copiosis, auctis & illustratis. Venetiis, apud Franciscus Franciscium Senensem, & Ioan. Cruher Germanum. M. D. LXVII.
Price: $5,000.00