Splendore Dell Antica E Moderna Roma Nel Quale Si Rappresentano Tutti i principali Tempii, Teatri, Anfiteatri, Cerchi, Naumachie, Archi Trionfali, Obelischi, Palagii, Terme, Curie, Basiliche, Fatti delli Rè, Consoli, Dittatori, & Imperadori Romani; Dignità Civili, e Militari; Ordine de' Trionfi, Nomi di tutti i Trionfanti, Sacrificio Militare; Colonna Traiana, Colonna Antonina, Colonna Milliaria, Colonna Rostrata, & Colonna Bellica; Con li più segnalati Giardini de gli antichi, e moderni Romani; & altre cose notabili; con Fatti, & Imprese di quelli, da' quali sono stati eretti, e dedicati. Et in questa ultima Impressione abbellito di molti disegni antichi, e moderni; & aggiuntovi le descrittioni delle Figure cavate dall'antiche Medaglie de gl'Imperadori, in quattro linguaggi Latino, Italiano, Tedesco, e Francese, per ultilità commune Dato alle Stampe Da Giovanni Alto Svizzero Da Lucerna, Officiale della Guardia Suizzera Pontificia in Roma, & Interprete dell'Illustrissima Inclita Natione Alemanna. Con Privilegij del Sommo Pontefice, della Maestà Cesarea, e della Serenissima Repulica di Venetia. -
[Antiquae Urbis Splendor., Italian, German and French., 1641.]
Imprint
In Roma,: Nella Stamparia d'Andrea Fei., MDCXLI. Con Licenza De' Superiori.
Physical Description
[258] p., [5], 167 plates and illus. (i.e. [48] pl. and [119] illus.); 237×365 mm.
General Note
The final 'Tavola Del Libro Di Tutte Le Figure' calls for 167 prints (of which it is itself the 167th, though lacking its engraved number). These 167 include 48 plates and 119 full-page illustrations (carrying letterpress text on their versos). The 48 plates comprise: (Bk. I) engr. t.pl., engr. dedic., engr. port. of dedicatee ('1-3'); (Book II) engr. t.pl., engr. dedic., engr. port. of dedicatee ('49-51'); (Bk. III) engr. t.pl. ('85'); (Bk. IV) engr. t.pl. ('127') and all plates ('128-[167]'). The illustrations consist of those prints which were plates in the first edition of Books I-III (1612-15) but which here have letterpress texts on their versos, viz. (Bk. I) the add. engr. t.pl. ('4') and prints 5-48; (Bk. II) prints 52-84; (Bk. III) prints 86-126. In addition to this numbered sequence of plates and illustrations there are five unnumbered plates - two in Bk. I. (an engr. port. of Urban VIII and a view of a modern Imperial court), and three in Bk. IV (bound between pl. '156' and '157', as in the 1637 edition, showing the church of Madonna Di Loreto, the statue of the Farnese Bull and the statue of Laocoon).
Contents
[Engr. t.pl. (1630), port. of Urban VIII, engr. dedic. to Sigismundo III, engr. port. of Sigismundus III, unnumbered plate] - Giovanni Alto Svizzero Da Lucerna Officiale della Guardia Suizzera Pontificia A' Benigni Lettori - [T.p.] - [Text and illus.] - Descrittione di Roma Antica, con gli Edificij Publici, e principali, suo origine, e circuito - Kurtz beschreibu¯g der Alte¯ statt Rom ... - Description de Rome Ancienne ... - Gio. Ridolfo Alto Svizzero A Chi Leggera - [Text and illus.] - De Ovatione - [Text and illus.] - [Engr. t.pl., 'Antiquitatum Urbis Liber Secundus ... MDCXIII'] - [Engr. dedic., 'Antiquae Urbis Splendor ... Carolo Emanueli Sabaudiae Duci ... 1613'] - [Engr. port. of Carolus Emanuel, 1613] - [Text and illus.] - [Engr. t.pl. and dedic., 'Serenissimi Principis Ranutii Farnesii ... Auspicio Antiquae Urbis Splendoris Co¯plementu¯ ... MDCXV'] - [Text and illus.] - Romani Imperi in partibus Occidenti, sub Hadriani Augusti Principatu dignitatum Omnium, & administrationum ... catalogus ... descriptus - [Engr. t.pl., 'Antiquæ Urbis Vestigia Quæ Nunc Extant ... 1628'] - [Plates] - [Engr. 'Tavola Del Libro Di Tutte Le Figure Di Antiquæ Urbis Splendor Con Le Vestigie De L'Antiche Et Cose Moderne.']
Responsibility Note
Only a few prints are signed as made by Iacobus Laurus.
This edition reproduces Lauro's dedications to (1) Sigismundo III Regi Poloniæ, (2) Carolo Emanueli Sabaudiæ Duci; (3) Principi Ranutio Farnesio Parmæ et Placentiæ Duci; (4) Principi Mauritio A Sabaudia S.R.E. Cardinali.
References
National gallery of Art (Washington), The Mark J. Millard Architectural Collection, 4 (2000), no. 54, p. 197-9 [on the 1637 edition]; Royal Institute of British Architects, British Architectural Library ... Early Printed Books, v. 2 (1995), no. 1780, p. 941-2 [on the 1637 edition]; John Hopkins University, The Fowler Architectural Collection (1961, repr. 1991), no. 169, p.141-2 [describing the 1612-15 edition]; T. Ashby, 'Un incisore antiquario del seicento', in La Bibliofila, 28 (1927 March), p.453-60 and 29 (1927 Dec.), p.356-69.
Summary Note
The work had first been published in three books (1612, 1613, 1615), with a fourth appearing in 1628; and went through several subsequent editions (of which details are given in T. Ashby's article).
This edition reproduces the original title-plates and dedications, with their publication-dates; but that of Book I appears to reproduce a title-plate of 1630 in which the original publication-date is retained but the engraved title is modified to include a reference to 1630. The numbering of the prints had been introduced in the 1630 edition. The adding of Italian, German and French letterpress to the versos of most prints in Books I-III had been introduced in the 1625 edition, but withdrawn from that of 1630.
The prints of Books I-III show reconstructions of ancient Roman buildings; a few show public games or triumphs, two show a Roman wedding, and two show maps of Rome and the Roman Empire. The plates of Book IV show Roman buildings as ruins in modern Rome, some modern buildings and two famous statues excavated from the ruins - the Farnese Bull and the Laocoon. Many prints are accompanied by extensive engraved annotations.
Binding Note
17th-century white vellum, gilt-decorated upper and lower covers; gilt-decorated spine, brown morocco spine-labels lettered 'Lauri. - Antiquæ Urbis Splendor' and 'R.A. Romæ 1612'.
Subject
Architecture, Roman - Antiquities, Roman - Public buildings - Temples - Italy - Lazio - Rome - History
Art history - Reconstructions - Views - Vedute - Italy - 17th century
Pictorial works - Italy - 17th century