The Life Of Michael Angelo Buonarroti; With Translations Of Many Of His Poems and Letters. Also, Memoirs Of Savonarola, Raphael, And Vittoria Colonna. By John S. Harford, Esq. D.C.L., F.R.S. Member Of The Academy Of Painting Of St. Luke, At Rome, And Of The Roman Archæological Society. In Two Volumes. Vol. I. (II.)
London:: Longman, Brown, Green, Longmans, And Roberts., 1857. The right of translation is reserved.
Physical Description
2 vols.; 222 mm. (Octavo.)
General Note
Vol. I: xv, [1], 342 p., [12] pl. (incl. frontis.) (the 12th plate is folding). - Vol. II: viii, 367, [1] p., [8] pl. (incl. frontis.) (one is folding). - (The plates in both vols. carry no numbers but are numbered 1-12 and 1-18 in the respective Lists of Illustrations.)
Contents
Vol. I: [Half-t., frontis., t.p.] - Preface - Contents Of The First Volume - List Of Illustrations In Vol. I; Errata - [Text and pl.]; [colophon] - [Fold. pl.]. - Vol. II: [Half-t., frontis., t.p.] - Contents Of The Second Volume; List Of Illustrations In Vol. II - [Text and pl.] - [Colophon].
Responsibility Note
Most plates are unsigned; but in Volume I pl. [1] is captioned as from the engraving by Bonasone ans is signed as engraved by I. Langer, directed by L. Gruner; [3] is signed as engraved by Annle. Cesta, 1853; [6] is signed as drawn by I.S. Harford from an etching; [7] as drawn by I.S. Harford from the pulpit by Pisano; [8] as painted by Fra Bartolomeo and engraved by Annle. Cesta, 1853; [9] as from the cameo by Giovanni delle Corniole; [12] as engraved by W.O. Burgess (and carrying the publisher's imprint of John Murray, Albemarle Street, 1841), and in Volume II pl. [3] is signed as directed by Canina, and [7] as painted by Sebas. del Piombo and directed by L. Gruner.
The printer is named on the half-title versos and in the colophons: 'London: Printed by Spottiswoode & Co. New-street-Square.'
References
L. Østermark-Johansen, Sweetness and strength: the reception of Michelangelo in late Victorian England (1998); W.E. Wallace, ed., Michelangelo: selected scholarship in English (5 v., 1995).
Summary Note
Harford stresses the influence of the reformer Savonarola on Michelangelo's thinking. With his verse translations of Michelangelo's poems he includes the Italian texts.
Most plates are portraits of Michelangelo's contemporaries.
Provenance
The verso of the front loose endpaper of Volume I is inscribed in ink, 'From the Author'.
Copy Note
The rear pastedown of Volume II carries the printed ticket of the binder, which reads, 'Bound By Westleys & Co London.'
Binding Note
19th-century green cloth; spines lettered 'Life Of Michael Angelo Buonarroti - Vol. I. (II.)'.