A Collection Of Prints In Imitation Of Drawings. To Which are Annexed Lives Of Their Authors With Explanatory And Critical Notes By Charles Rogers Esq. F.R.S. And S.A.L. Tome I. (II.)
Century of prints from drawings
Imitations Of Drawings [spine title].
Imprint
London:: Printed By J. Nichols, Successor To Mr. Bowyer. And Sold By John Boydell, Engraver, No. 93. Cheapside. Benjamin White, At Horace's Head, Fleet-Street. Peter Molini, In Oxendon-Street, Hay-Market., M.DCC.LXXVIII.
Vol. I: [Frontis. (port.), add. t.pl., t.p., engr. dedic.] - Preface - Contents Of The First Tome - Introduction - [Text and plates] - Tome I. Corrections And Additions - Tome I. Emendations And Additions. - Vol. II: [Add. t.pl., t.p.] - Contents Of The Second Tome - [Text and plates] - Appendix - Tome II. Corrections And Additions - Tome II. Corrections And Additions.
Responsibility Note
The frontispiece portrait is signed as painted by Joshua Reynolds and engraved by W.W. Ryland; the added engraved title-plates as drawn by (1) G.B. Cipriani and (2) B. Rebecca and both engraved by F. Bartolozzi; the engraved dedication as written by Tomkins and engraved by Ashby; the head- and tail-pieces are signed as engraved by S. Watts. Each of the plates, as well as carrying the name of the source-artists, is signed by its engraver. These include W.W. Ryland, Sam Watts, Sim. Watts, J. Basire, Wm. Hebert, Ja. Deacon, F. Bartolozzi and C. Phillips. One of the engravings after Cambiaso is modestly signed by Rogers himself, 'CR tentavit 1769'.
Most of the engravings carry publication-dates.
The work is dedicated by Rogers to the King (George III).
References
Verga, Bibliografia Vinciana, I, 103. N. Turner, 'The Gabburri/Rogers series of drawn self-portraits and portraits of artists', in Journal of the history of collections, 5 (1993), p.179-216; N. Stogdon, The Cottonian collection [exhibition catalogue] (1993); A. Griffiths, 'The Rogers collection in the Cottonian Library, Plymouth', in Print quarterly, 10:1 (1993), p.19-36; S. Lambert, The image multiplied: five centuries of printed reproductions (1987); S. Hyde, Drawings in print: the reproduction of drawings in eighteenth century England [exhibition catalogue] (1983).
ESTC, T153051
Summary Note
The added engraved title-plates read, 'A Century Of Prints From Drawings Published With Notes By Charles Rogers F.R.S. & S.A.L.' Most plates carry publication-dates, ranging from 1762 to 1777.
The plates of Volume I reproduces drawings by Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, Giulio Romano, Polidoro da Caravaggio, Baccio Bandinelli, Batista Franco, Perino del Vaga, F. Zuccaro, D. Passignano, P. da Cortona, Bernini, A. Sacchi, Della Bella, G.F. Romanelli, Borgognone, F. Lauri, C. Maratti, C. Ferri, P.L. Ghezzi, Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese and Palma Giovine.
The plates of Volume II reproduces drawings by Correggio, Parmigiano, Procaccini, L. Carracci, Ag. Carracci, Ann. Carracci, Caravaggio, Guido Reni, F. Albani, Domenichino, Guercino, B. Schidoni, S. Cantarini Pesarese, P. Mola, D.M. Canuti, E. Sirani, L. Cambiaso, Salvator Rosa, F. Vieira, N. Poussin, E. Le Sueur, R. La Fage, F. Boucher, Jan Breughel, Rubens, Van Dyck, Rembrandt, P. Wouwerman, W. Vande Velde, M. Rysbrack.
In his preface Rogers states, 'That these prints may be faithful Imitations, they are engraved the same way as, as well as the same size, as the Originals are drawn; and printed, as nearly as possible, in the same colours'. The plates do, indeed, draw upon a rich variety of techniques.
Some plates show drawings in Rogers's own collection. After his death his collections passed to his brother-in-law, William Cotton, and after several sales the remainder passed to Plymouth Proprietary Library.
Reproductions
A microfilm version was published in 2005 (Woodbridge, Conn.: Primary Source Microfilm [an imprint of Thomson-Gale]).
Provenance
Presented by Charles Rogers; gift acknowledged at RA Council meeting on 25 March 1778 (Council Minutes I, 252).
Binding Note
[Vol. I:] 20th-century half morocco, grey cloth-covered boards; red morocco spine-label lettered 'Imitations Of Drawings'; spine lettered 'I. Rogers 1778'. - [Vol. II:] 19th-century half calf, brown watered-cloth-covered boards; rebacked in 20th century; red morocco spine-label lettered 'Imitations Of Drawings'; spine lettered 'II. Rogers 1778'.
Subject
Drawings, European - Drawings, Italian - History
Artists - Europe - History - Biography
Pictorial works - Stipple engravings - Great Britain - 18th century