Details
DEL RICCIO, Agostino (1541-98). Libro delle Pietre. MANUSCRIPT ON PAPER. [Florence: after 1597].
Imperial 2° (464 x 363mm). 169 leaves, COMPLETE: 110 24 3-168 173(of 4, iv cancelled) 182 194 20-228 2310 (19/i-iv rehinged, quire 18 inserted between 17/iii-iv, 23/x blank rear pastedown, blank leaves 1/i-vi, viii, 18/i, 19/iv, 23/i-x), single column of 20-21 lines, ruled in brown ink, marginal section notation, horizontal catchwords, 3/i recto-14/viii verso paginated 1-[192], written in brown ink in a cursive script, calligraphic title-page and initials to tabula, dedication and index, lombard or cursive initials elsewhere, 24 leaves of 94 ORIGINAL DRAWINGS IN BODYCOLOUR OF MARBLES, ruled in black chalk, foliated, each marble numbered and most with caption identification (spotting, some browning, occasional light stain, some ink holes, small tear in 22/8 due to surface adhesion). Contemporary limp vellum, evidence of 4 fore-edge ties, title lettered along spine (light stains).
PROVENANCE:
Biblioteca Bardi-Serzelli (late-19th-century bookplate)
CONTENTS:
1/vii recto title (Libro Primo delle Pietre), 2/i recto-viii verso table of contents, 3/i dedication to all Florentines, 3/ii recto-14/viii verso text, 15/i recto-17/iii recto alphabetical index, 18/i blank, 18/ii-19/ii duplicate leaves of fos. 1, 15, and 161, 19/iii title Libro delle Pietre, 19/iv blank, 20/i-22/viii original drawings in bodycolour of marbles, quire 23 blank
[Accompanied by]
444 x 347mm. 7 leaves of 24 additional drawings in bodycolour of marbles and other stones, ruled in black chalk, numbered 95-102, 104-108 and 11 unnumbered drawings (some surface wear, central fold of one leaf strengthened on verso). Early limp paper boards, title lettered along spine (new endleaves), modern paper wrapper.
AN UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPT ON MARBLES, detailing types of marble and other stone used in specific Renaissance sculpture and architecture. Agostino Del Riccio, a Dominican professor at the Convent of Santa Maria Novella at Florence, was well connected in Florentine society and familiar with artists and patrons alike. His close association with painters, sculptors and architects of his day led Del Riccio to proclaim himself one (Boström p.56ff.). As another of his works, the Agricoltura sperimentale, the Libro delle Pietre contains invaluable contemporary information on Renaissance sculpture and architecture and the materials used by some of the greatest artists of the period. Del Riccio describes and illustrates over 90 types of stone, including various marbles, porphyry, granite, alabaster, and Travertine. He discusses the physical qualities of the stone and cites specific examples of its use: porphyry for the sepulchre of Cosimo and Piero de' Medici in S. Lorenzo; red granite for obelisks in Piazza del Popolo at Rome and the Piazza S. Marco at Venice; green marble in the Palazzo Pitti, African marble for a tomb designed by Michelangelo in the Gaddi chapel at S. Maria Novella at Florence, and a column of a pulpit designed by Donatello at S. Lorenzo. While Del Riccio made use of earlier similar works such as those by Aldrovandi, Agricola, Vasari, and, particularly, Dolce, his importance lies in the detail of particular uses in art and architecture.
Gem stones (diamonds, pearls, emeralds, rubies, lapis lazuli, etc.) are also discussed in separate chapters with details of their physical qualities and of particular stones, such as a diamond of Pope Julius II which sold for 2500 scudi; a diamond belonging to the Rucellai family which sold for 8000 scudi; and a diamond belonging to the king of 'Bezeneger', an oriental monarch. The varied use of gem stones in decoration and architecture reached its apogee in the second half of the 16th century, fuelled by the quarries opened under Francesco I de' Medici and his brother Ferdinando I; the art of gem-cutting was even practised by Francesco himself (Boström p.61). Epigrams on gem stones ('Epygramma de laudibus Gemmarum') complete this section.
While the work is of particular interest as a contemporary source for the materials used by great artists of Renaissance Italy, it is also of scientific interest. Del Riccio was clearly following a scientific impulse in compiling this work, categorising the stone, discussing its physical properties and likening his study to that of early botanists who divide the plant kingdom into (at the time) four branches. Del Riccio's scientific interest manifests itself also in his discussion of stones as they pertain to human beings and animals. He cites stones which influence parts of the body and describes their medical properties. Del Riccio even describes an operation performed in the Convent of S. Maria Novella by the surgeon Maestro Arcangelo on a fellow Dominican, Bastiano Rondini of Alba, detailing his suffering from gallstones, preparation for the operation, and the operation itself. Del Riccio's scientific leaning and impulse towards classification typifies all his known works: Arte delle memoria, Agricoltura teorica, Agricoltura sperimentale, and Descrizione dei fiori che fioriscono mese per mese in Firenze.
Although never published, the Libro delle Pietre circulated in manuscript, as witnessed by at least four surviving copies (cf. Barocchi), and was used by later writers on Renaissance art and materials, such as Leo Strozzi. The present manuscript is perhaps the most complete known to survive, containing two indexes, verses on gem stones, and original drawings. It is possible that this is the manuscript exemplar from which Florence, Bib. Nazionale, ms. Targioni 54 was copied, since it too contains two indexes and the verses on gem stones. The present manuscript is marked in later pencil, which may have been done by a later copyist. While the illustrations may not have been originally provided by Del Riccio, since he states in the preface that he has tried to make up for the lack of pictures by citing as many examples as possible where they may be seen, the illustrations are integral to the work. Only one other copy (Rome, Corsiniana Ms. 901 (45.C.27 27)) is known to record illustrations, and it has only 64 drawings, as opposed to 94 (plus 24 bound in the second volume) in the present copy. Like the Riccardiana copy, the Corsiniana copy has no indices.
LITERATURE:
Boström, Antonia. Aspects of the Collection and Display of Sculpture in Florence and Rome, c.1540-c.1595, unpublished PhD thesis, Courtauld Institute of Art, 1995
Paola Barocchi. Istoria delle Pietre, a facsimile reprint of Florence, Biblioteca Nazionale 2230, 1979
Christie's is grateful to Dr. Anna M. Capecchi, Director of the Biblioteca dell' Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei e Corsiniana, for providing details of the Corsiniana copy. (2)
Imperial 2° (464 x 363mm). 169 leaves, COMPLETE: 110 24 3-168 173(of 4, iv cancelled) 182 194 20-228 2310 (19/i-iv rehinged, quire 18 inserted between 17/iii-iv, 23/x blank rear pastedown, blank leaves 1/i-vi, viii, 18/i, 19/iv, 23/i-x), single column of 20-21 lines, ruled in brown ink, marginal section notation, horizontal catchwords, 3/i recto-14/viii verso paginated 1-[192], written in brown ink in a cursive script, calligraphic title-page and initials to tabula, dedication and index, lombard or cursive initials elsewhere, 24 leaves of 94 ORIGINAL DRAWINGS IN BODYCOLOUR OF MARBLES, ruled in black chalk, foliated, each marble numbered and most with caption identification (spotting, some browning, occasional light stain, some ink holes, small tear in 22/8 due to surface adhesion). Contemporary limp vellum, evidence of 4 fore-edge ties, title lettered along spine (light stains).
PROVENANCE:
Biblioteca Bardi-Serzelli (late-19th-century bookplate)
CONTENTS:
1/vii recto title (Libro Primo delle Pietre), 2/i recto-viii verso table of contents, 3/i dedication to all Florentines, 3/ii recto-14/viii verso text, 15/i recto-17/iii recto alphabetical index, 18/i blank, 18/ii-19/ii duplicate leaves of fos. 1, 15, and 161, 19/iii title Libro delle Pietre, 19/iv blank, 20/i-22/viii original drawings in bodycolour of marbles, quire 23 blank
[Accompanied by]
444 x 347mm. 7 leaves of 24 additional drawings in bodycolour of marbles and other stones, ruled in black chalk, numbered 95-102, 104-108 and 11 unnumbered drawings (some surface wear, central fold of one leaf strengthened on verso). Early limp paper boards, title lettered along spine (new endleaves), modern paper wrapper.
AN UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPT ON MARBLES, detailing types of marble and other stone used in specific Renaissance sculpture and architecture. Agostino Del Riccio, a Dominican professor at the Convent of Santa Maria Novella at Florence, was well connected in Florentine society and familiar with artists and patrons alike. His close association with painters, sculptors and architects of his day led Del Riccio to proclaim himself one (Boström p.56ff.). As another of his works, the Agricoltura sperimentale, the Libro delle Pietre contains invaluable contemporary information on Renaissance sculpture and architecture and the materials used by some of the greatest artists of the period. Del Riccio describes and illustrates over 90 types of stone, including various marbles, porphyry, granite, alabaster, and Travertine. He discusses the physical qualities of the stone and cites specific examples of its use: porphyry for the sepulchre of Cosimo and Piero de' Medici in S. Lorenzo; red granite for obelisks in Piazza del Popolo at Rome and the Piazza S. Marco at Venice; green marble in the Palazzo Pitti, African marble for a tomb designed by Michelangelo in the Gaddi chapel at S. Maria Novella at Florence, and a column of a pulpit designed by Donatello at S. Lorenzo. While Del Riccio made use of earlier similar works such as those by Aldrovandi, Agricola, Vasari, and, particularly, Dolce, his importance lies in the detail of particular uses in art and architecture.
Gem stones (diamonds, pearls, emeralds, rubies, lapis lazuli, etc.) are also discussed in separate chapters with details of their physical qualities and of particular stones, such as a diamond of Pope Julius II which sold for 2500 scudi; a diamond belonging to the Rucellai family which sold for 8000 scudi; and a diamond belonging to the king of 'Bezeneger', an oriental monarch. The varied use of gem stones in decoration and architecture reached its apogee in the second half of the 16th century, fuelled by the quarries opened under Francesco I de' Medici and his brother Ferdinando I; the art of gem-cutting was even practised by Francesco himself (Boström p.61). Epigrams on gem stones ('Epygramma de laudibus Gemmarum') complete this section.
While the work is of particular interest as a contemporary source for the materials used by great artists of Renaissance Italy, it is also of scientific interest. Del Riccio was clearly following a scientific impulse in compiling this work, categorising the stone, discussing its physical properties and likening his study to that of early botanists who divide the plant kingdom into (at the time) four branches. Del Riccio's scientific interest manifests itself also in his discussion of stones as they pertain to human beings and animals. He cites stones which influence parts of the body and describes their medical properties. Del Riccio even describes an operation performed in the Convent of S. Maria Novella by the surgeon Maestro Arcangelo on a fellow Dominican, Bastiano Rondini of Alba, detailing his suffering from gallstones, preparation for the operation, and the operation itself. Del Riccio's scientific leaning and impulse towards classification typifies all his known works: Arte delle memoria, Agricoltura teorica, Agricoltura sperimentale, and Descrizione dei fiori che fioriscono mese per mese in Firenze.
Although never published, the Libro delle Pietre circulated in manuscript, as witnessed by at least four surviving copies (cf. Barocchi), and was used by later writers on Renaissance art and materials, such as Leo Strozzi. The present manuscript is perhaps the most complete known to survive, containing two indexes, verses on gem stones, and original drawings. It is possible that this is the manuscript exemplar from which Florence, Bib. Nazionale, ms. Targioni 54 was copied, since it too contains two indexes and the verses on gem stones. The present manuscript is marked in later pencil, which may have been done by a later copyist. While the illustrations may not have been originally provided by Del Riccio, since he states in the preface that he has tried to make up for the lack of pictures by citing as many examples as possible where they may be seen, the illustrations are integral to the work. Only one other copy (Rome, Corsiniana Ms. 901 (45.C.27 27)) is known to record illustrations, and it has only 64 drawings, as opposed to 94 (plus 24 bound in the second volume) in the present copy. Like the Riccardiana copy, the Corsiniana copy has no indices.
LITERATURE:
Boström, Antonia. Aspects of the Collection and Display of Sculpture in Florence and Rome, c.1540-c.1595, unpublished PhD thesis, Courtauld Institute of Art, 1995
Paola Barocchi. Istoria delle Pietre, a facsimile reprint of Florence, Biblioteca Nazionale 2230, 1979
Christie's is grateful to Dr. Anna M. Capecchi, Director of the Biblioteca dell' Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei e Corsiniana, for providing details of the Corsiniana copy. (2)