The oldest books in the Art Library, Part VI

This post continues the series on some of the earliest books in the Art Library’s collection, all of which are housed in the Art Library’s rare book room.    If you want to see any of them, just ask at the desk.

Our next book to consider is another one with a very long title:   Roma Subterranea Novissima : In Qua Post Antonium Bosium Antesignanum, Io: Severanum … et Celebres Alios Scriptores Antiqua Christianorum et Præcipue Martyrum Cœmeteria, Tituli, Monimenta, Epitaphia, Inscriptiones, ac Nobiliora Sanctorum Sepulchra Sex Libris Distincta Illustrantur et Quamplurimæ Res Ecclesiasticae Iconibus Graphice Describuntur, ac Multiplici Tum Sacra, Tum Profana Eruditione Declarantur. It was written by Antonio Bosio  and published in 2 volumes in Rome in 1651.

Antonio Bosio (1575-1629) gave up the study of law at the age of 18 to devote himself to the study of early Christian history, particularly the Roman catacombs.  He  began his exploration of catacombs in 1593 and in the following years made many discoveries as he broke into numerous catacombs and cubiculum, small family tombs often decorated with frescoes.  Because of his systematic exploration of the catacombs, he is considered the founder of the science of Christian archaeology.

In 1597 he completed the Historia passionis SS Martyrum Caeciliae (Rome, 1600), illustrated with engravings by Antonio Tempesta. Roma Sotterranea was published in Italian between 1632 and 1634, shortly after Bosio’s death and was  profusely illustrated with plans and engravings by Francesco Fulcaro. The book was re-published by Paolo Aringhi in 1651, with considerable alterations and omissions, and it is this later edition, now with Novissima added to the title, which the Art Library owns.

Below is the title page and one of the interior pages of Roma Subterranea Novissima:

Why does the library collect rare books?  Because they are primary source materials of art history, offering a first-hand account of an artist’s life, the first critical response to a building or painting, or a new theory of art or architecture.  As the building blocks of art history, they remain relevant sources for researchers.

The oldest books in the Art Library, Part V

This post continues the series on some of the earliest books in the Art Library’s collection, all of which are housed in the Art Library’s rare book room.    If you want to see any of them, just ask at the desk.

The next book to consider is by Antonio Tempesta (1555-1630), a Florentine painter and printmaker, known for hunting and battle scenes and depictions of nature, particularly animals. After working in Florence, he went to Rome where he was commissioned by Pope Gregory XIII to paint religious scenes in the Vatican Palace and a chapel fresco at S. Stefano Rotondo.  This was followed by commissions for several  palazzi and villas.

Tempesta created more than 1000 prints which were widely distributed.  They covered subjects from the Bible, to Alexander the Great, to the book discussed today: Metamorphoseon, Sive Transformationum Ovidianarum Libri Quindecim, Aeneis Formis ab Antonio Tempesta Florentino Incisi, et in Pictorum Antiquitatisque Studiosorum Gratiam Nunc Primum Exquisitissimis Sumptibus a Petro de Iode Autuerpiano in Lucem Editi.  Published in Amsterdam, probably in 1606, the book is comprised of a series of engravings illustrating Ovid’s Metamorphoses.  Metamorphoseon was often used as a model book for artists.  Students received their initial training using model books and artists often used model books as a source for elements in new compositions.  It is possible to trace the imagery in works of even well-known artists, (Jacques Callot, Peter Paul Rubens and Diego Velázquez, for example) to particular model books.  Once it became common for sketches to be made for every commission, model books were no longer used by painters, although they continued to be used by artisans and decorative artists.

Below are the title page of Metamorphoseon and a typical page from the book.

Why does the library collect rare books?  Because they are primary source materials of art history, offering a first-hand account of an artist’s life, the first critical response to a building or painting, or a new theory of art or architecture.  As the building blocks of art history, they remain relevant sources for researchers.

The oldest books in the Art Library – Part III

This post continues the series on some of the earliest books in the Art Library’s collection, all of which are housed in the Art Library’s rare book room.    If you want to see any of them, just ask at the desk.

Piero Valeriano is the author of the next book we’ll look at.  Titled Ioannis Pierii Valeriani Bellunensis Hieroglyphica, Seu, de Sacris Aegyptiorum Aliarumque Gentium Literis Commentarii : Summa cum Industria Exarati, & in Libros Quinquaginta Octo Redacti … : Accessere Nunc Primùm Perutiles ad Marginem Annotationes Nunquam Hactenus Excusae, unà cum Declamatiuncula Pro Barbis, ac Eiusdem Poematibus … cum Indice Gemino, it was published in   Lugduni (Lyon, France)  by Sumptibus Pauli Frelon in 1602.

Pierio Valeriano (1477-1560) was a scholar and poet and, like many 16^th century humanists, worked for rich cardinals and bishops.  In Valeriano’s case, the bishop he worked for was Pope Leo X.  His book, the beginning of which translates as Hieroglyphics or sacred writing of the Egyptians, argues that the symbolic wisdom of Egyptians accords with the fundamental teachings of Christian theology.  His book is a pioneering work on hieroglyphics and emblematic literature, bringing together the allegorical symbolism of medieval bestiaries and the symbolic approach to Egyptian writing.

Emblematic literature flourished in Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. An emblem combines both words and images, the interpretation of which is meant to require a degree of intellectual effort .  The result of that effort is an understanding of the intended moral lesson. Emblems generally consist of three parts: a short motto, a pictorial representation or icon, and the explanation of the link between them in an epigram.

Below are the title page and a typical page:

Why does the library collect rare books?  Because they are primary source materials of art history, offering a first-hand account of an artist’s life, the first critical response to a building or painting, or a new theory of art or architecture.  As the building blocks of art history, they remain relevant sources for researchers.

The oldest books in the Art Library – Part II

This post continues the series on some of the earliest books in the Art Library’s collection, all of which are housed in the Art Library’s rare book room.    If you want to see any of them, just ask at the desk.

Here’s our next book, one with an exceedingly long title, by Giovanni Paolo Lomazzo:  Trattato Dell’arte Della Pittura, Scoltura, et Architettura / Di Gio. Paolo Lomazzo … : Diuiso in Sette Libri : Ne’ Quali Si Discorre de la Proportione, de’ Moti, de’ Colori, de’ Lumi, de La Prospettiua, de La Prattica de La Pittura, et Finalmente de le Istorie d’Essa Pittura ; con Vna Tauola de’ Nomi de Tutti li Pitttori [Sic], Scoltori, Architetti, & Matematici Antichi, & Moderni.

It was published in 1585 in Milan by Paolo Gottardo Pontio, Stampatore Regio, a Instantia di Pietro Tini.

Giovanni Lomazzo’s book roughly translates as “A Treatise on the art of painting, sculpture and architecture… in seven books: motion, proportion, color, perspective, light, the practice of painting and the history of painting, including a table of  name of all the painters, sculptors, architects and mathematicians, ancient and modern.” Whew!

Lomazzo was a northern Italian painter, poet and art theorist, and notable in intellectual circles in the late 16^th century.  When, at 33, blindness forced him to stop painting, he switched to writing about art.  His works are some of the most important of the Mannerist period and remain a major source on Milanese artistic life.

The Trattato is one of his most ambitious and scholarly works.  In addition to biographies of contemporary artists, he gave practical instruction for creating art.  The treatise is also notable for the emphasis it places on light and psychological expression in art.

Here’s the title page:

and one of the pages:

Why does the Art Library have these books?  Because they are primary source materials for art history, offering a first-hand account of an artist’s life, the first critical response to a building or painting, or a new theory of art or architecture.  As the building blocks of art history, they remain relevant sources for researchers.

The oldest books in the Art Library – Part I

This is the first in a series of blog posts that look at some of the earliest books in the Art Library’s collection, all housed in the Art Library’s rare book room.  If you want to see any of them, just ask at the desk.

The first book is the oldest in the collection – Anton Francesco Doni’s  I Marmi del Doni, Academico Peregrino, published in Vinegia (Venice) by F. Marcolini in 1552-53.

Anton Francesco Doni (1513-1574) was an Italian writer and poet.  He served at courts in Piacenza, Milan and Pavia but, finding it difficult to accept the conservative rules of court life, he started his own press in Florence.  Unfortunately, his business lasted for only two years.  He was an eccentric figure in Renaissance Italy, working outside the traditional cultural centers of court and church.  I Marmi is a satirical poem, parodying the Petrachan idea of feminine perfection.  Below are the title page from I Marmi del Doni and a typical page.

Why does the library collect rare books?  Because they are primary source materials for art history, offering a first-hand account of an artist’s life, the first critical response to a building or painting, or a new theory of art or architecture.  As the building blocks of art history, they remain relevant sources for researchers.

It’s also very cool to hold a 458 year old book in your hands!

The oldest books in the Art Library, Part IV

This post continues the series on some of the earliest books in the Art Library’s collection, all of which are housed in the Art Library’s rare book room.    If you want to see any of them, just ask at the desk.

The next book to investigate is by Cesare Ripa and is called Iconologia.  Our copy was published in 1613.

Cesare Ripa (c.1555-1622) was born Giovanni Campani.  Ripa was not a professional scholar; rather, he was chief butler to a cardinal and he worked on the book that made him famous in his spare time.   First published in 1593, the book did not gain popularity until woodcuts were included in the 1603 edition.  With more than 1000 images and almost 700 concepts, it describes and prescribes ways to represent allegorical figures in emblem books* and artworks. In most cases though, Ripa’s images did not follow the guidelines he established because he adapted what was available from multiple sources.  Ripa began with Abundance and moved alphabetically, ending with Zeal.

In the 17^th century, the Iconologia appeared in the book lists of many artists and provided the raw material for their numerous iconographic conceptions. Once artistic tastes changed, however, Ripa’s imagery was no longer useful and the Iconologia fell into obscurity.  When  later art historians looked at the imagery in 17th works of art, they were often baffled about the meaning.  In the 1920s, art historian Emile Mâle brought the Iconologia back to light and today the Iconologia is used to understand symbolism in the Baroque era.

Below is the title page and a typical page from the book:

*As discussed in Part III, emblem books flourished in Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. An emblem combines both words and images, the interpretation of which requires intellectual effort and results in the communication of a moral lesson. Emblems generally consist of three parts: a short motto, a pictorial representation or icon, and the explanation of the link between them in an epigram.

Why does the library collect rare books?  Because they are primary source materials of art history, offering a first-hand account of an artist’s life, the first critical response to a building or painting, or a new theory of art or architecture.  As the building blocks of art history, they remain relevant sources for researchers.