La Pratica della perspettiva, opera molto profittevole a pittori, scultori e architetti.

Venetia, Camillo e Rutilio Borgominieri, 1569.

Folio [313 x 225 mm] of (1) bl. l., 195 pp., (6) ll. Limp vellum, handwritten title on the spine, scattered waterstains, small marginal wormholes without any damage to the text. Contemporary binding.

Precious 1568 first edition, with a new title-page, of this rare treatise.
Adams, B-171 ; Berlin Kat., 4694 ; Brunet, I, 644; Cicognara, 809; Fowler, 36; Gamba, 1233; Mortimer Italian, 39 ; Censimento, 16 CNCE, 4133 ; Riccardi, I, p. 76-77.

It is illustrated with a very beautiful engraved title and 200 engraved figures in the text representing optical illusions, geometric shapes, perspectives, architectural sections, Franceschi's theater, dropped initials, measurements of the human body...

Several issues of the original edition are described without priority: the first one in which the date of the title and colophon is 1568, an intermediate state with the title only dated 1569, another one in which the two dates are changed.

It is the first work of practical perspective published in Italy.

"Opera dottissima e diligentissima" (Cicognara).

The three full-page woodcuts of theater scenes come from the Serlio of 1566; others are copies of Dürer Underweysung der messung. The last plate gives a beautiful representation of a newly invented measuring instrument by Giacomo Fusto Castriotto.

"Barbaro mentions a camera obscura fitted with a ci-convex lens. He introduces a novelty - the use of a diaphragm to sharpen the image. This is the first mention of a device essential in photography... " (Gernsheim, Hist. of Photogr., p. 22)

Barbaro takes up in his work the ideas of Pelerin, Durero, Serlio and Cataneo by simplifying them and making perspective more accessible to artists, architects, painters and sculptors. He gives the first description of the "camera oscura".

"Daniele Barbaro (1514-1570) took an enthusiastic interest in perspective. He was a well-educated scholar from the Venetian nobility and had a distinguished diplomatic career, first within the political administration – spending part of this period as an ambassador to England- and later in ecclesiastical circles. His many activities included commenting on and supervising the publication of an edition of Vitruvius's work on architecture. In 1568 Barbaro published "La pratica della pespettiva". On the title-page of the work he claims it was beneficial reading for painters, sculptors and architects. Barbaro was well acquainted with the perspective literature and covered almost all the aspects of the discipline known at the time and in a way that makes his book almost encyclopedic." (K. Andersen).

An attractive copy preserved in its contemporary limp vellum binding.

Provenance: manuscript ex libris of the painter Antoine Rivalz dated 1701 corresponding to the year of his return from Rome to Toulouse, after more than ten years in Italy. Having benefited from the teaching he had received in Toulouse, Paris and Rome, Antoine Rivalz created an original and varied style, influenced by baroque art, classical art, pictorial traditions of the seventeenth century and the heritage of the Italian schools.



Français

Venetia, Camillo e Rutilio Borgominieri, 1569.

In-folio de (1) f. bl., 195 pp., (6) ff. Vélin souple, titre calligraphié au dos, mouillures éparses, petites galerie de vers marginales sans aucune atteinte au texte. Reliure de l'époque.

313 x 225 mm.

Précieuse édition originale de 1568, avec titre de relais, de ce rare traité.
Adams, B-171 ; Berlin Kat., 4694 ; Brunet, I, 644; Cicognara, 809; Fowler, 36; Gamba, 1233; Mortimer Italian, 39 ; Censimento, 16 CNCE, 4133 ; Riccardi, I, p. 76-77.

Elle est illustrée d'un très beau titre gravé et de 200 figures gravées dans le texte représentant des illusions d'optique, des formes géométriques, des perspectives, des coupes architecturales, le théâtre de Franceschi, des lettrines, les mesures du corps humain…

Plusieurs états de l'édition originale sont décrits sans priorité : le premier dans lequel la date du titre et du colophon est 1568, un état intermédiaire avec le titre seul daté de 1569, un autre dans lequel les deux dates sont changées.

Il s'agit du premier ouvrage de perspective pratique publié en Italie.

" Opera dottissima e diligentissima" (Cicognara).

Les trois bois à pleine page de scènes de théâtre proviennent du Serlio de 1566 ; d'autres sont des copies de Dürer Underweysung der messung. La dernière planche donne une belle représentation d'un instrument de mesure nouvellement inventé par Giacomo Fusto Castriotto.

"Barbaro mentions a camera obscura fitted with a ci-convex lens. He introduces a novelty - the use of a diaphragm to sharpen the image. This is the first mention of a device essential in photography... " (Gernsheim, Hist. of Photogr., p. 22)

Barbaro reprend dans son ouvrage les idées de Pelerin, Durero, Serlio et Cataneo en les simplifiant et en rendant la perspective plus accessible aux artistes, aux architectes aux peintres et aux sculpteurs. Il donne la première description de la " camera oscura ".

"Daniele Barbaro (1514-1570) took an enthusiastic interest in perspective. He was a well-educated scholar from the Venetian nobility and had a distinguished diplomatic career, first within the political administration – spending part of this period as an ambassador to England- and later in ecclesiastical circles. His many activities included commenting on and supervising the publication of an edition of Vitruvius's work on architecture. In 1568 Barbaro published "La pratica della pespettiva". On the title page of the work he claims it was beneficial reading for painters, sculptors and architects. Barbaro was well acquainted with the perspective literature and covered almost all the aspects of the discipline known at the time and in a way that makes his book almost encyclopedic." (K. Andersen).

Séduisant exemplaire conservé dans son vélin souple du temps.

Provenance : ex-libris manuscrit du peintre Antoine Rivalz daté de 1701 correspondant à l'année de son retour de Rome à Toulouse, après plus de dix ans en Italie. Riche de l'enseignement qu'il avait reçu à Toulouse, à Paris et à Rome, Antoine Rivalz créa un style original et varié, influencé par l'art baroque, l'art classique, les traditions picturales du XVIIe siècle et l'héritage des écoles italiennes.