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THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN
ADAM, Robert (1728-1792). Ruins of the Palace of the Emperor Diocletian at Spalatro in Dalmatia. London: Printed for the Author, 1764.
Details
ADAM, Robert (1728-1792). Ruins of the Palace of the Emperor Diocletian at Spalatro in Dalmatia. London: Printed for the Author, 1764.
2o (527 x 372 mm). Engraved frontispiece by F. Bartolozzi, 60 engraved numbered plates on 53 leaves (numbered I-LXI including frontispiece), including 8 double-page and 6 folding, the majority of plates by Bartolozzi or Zucchi, the rest by F. Patton, P. Santini, E. Rooker, A. Walker, D. Cunego, P. Mazell or J. Basire, on thick paper. Contemporary red morocco gilt DESIGNED BY ROBERT ADAM with central arms of the dedicatee George III within a hexagonal center ornament, surrounded by a wide ornamental border of acanthus scrolls, flowers, chains of husks, scallop shells, arms and armour, and a series of allegorical figurines, representing drama, music, literature, mathematics, navigation, and poetry (a few abrasions to edges and sides, headcap of spine broken off, but original headband present). Provenance: James Milnes (bookplate).
FIRST EDITION. A MAGNIFICENT BINDING DESIGNED BY ROBERT ADAM, THE ONLY BOOKBINDING HE DESIGNED. Howard Nixon knew of seven copies, in highest luxury presentation bindings, with the royal arms of the dedicatee George III. It is not clear if this is one of the copies known to Nixon. Nixon has suggested that the red morocco copies were for royal presentation, blue for Knights of the Garter, and green for Kinghts of the Thistle, respectively. "Adam's most important collaborator in the production of this glamorous work was C.-L. Clérisseau (1721-1820), his drawing master, who was responsible for both the perspective views and for directing work on engraving the plates in Venice between 1757 and 1760. The response of Adam and Clérisseau to the antique is fittingly described by Eileen Harris as "pseudo-archaeological" in that it treated the physical remains of antiquity as touchstones for the imaginative and scenic, as opposed to deductive and architectonic, recreation of ancient buildings ... between them Adam and Clérisseau took every opportunity to charge the archaeological and geometrical data contained in the plates of Spalatro with an emotive, picturesque energy" (British Architectural Books, 1990, p. 78). Fowler 2; Berlin Katalog 1893; Brunet I:46; Cicognara 3567; Millard 1; Nixon Five Centuries 70; The Wormsley Library 61.
2o (527 x 372 mm). Engraved frontispiece by F. Bartolozzi, 60 engraved numbered plates on 53 leaves (numbered I-LXI including frontispiece), including 8 double-page and 6 folding, the majority of plates by Bartolozzi or Zucchi, the rest by F. Patton, P. Santini, E. Rooker, A. Walker, D. Cunego, P. Mazell or J. Basire, on thick paper. Contemporary red morocco gilt DESIGNED BY ROBERT ADAM with central arms of the dedicatee George III within a hexagonal center ornament, surrounded by a wide ornamental border of acanthus scrolls, flowers, chains of husks, scallop shells, arms and armour, and a series of allegorical figurines, representing drama, music, literature, mathematics, navigation, and poetry (a few abrasions to edges and sides, headcap of spine broken off, but original headband present). Provenance: James Milnes (bookplate).
FIRST EDITION. A MAGNIFICENT BINDING DESIGNED BY ROBERT ADAM, THE ONLY BOOKBINDING HE DESIGNED. Howard Nixon knew of seven copies, in highest luxury presentation bindings, with the royal arms of the dedicatee George III. It is not clear if this is one of the copies known to Nixon. Nixon has suggested that the red morocco copies were for royal presentation, blue for Knights of the Garter, and green for Kinghts of the Thistle, respectively. "Adam's most important collaborator in the production of this glamorous work was C.-L. Clérisseau (1721-1820), his drawing master, who was responsible for both the perspective views and for directing work on engraving the plates in Venice between 1757 and 1760. The response of Adam and Clérisseau to the antique is fittingly described by Eileen Harris as "pseudo-archaeological" in that it treated the physical remains of antiquity as touchstones for the imaginative and scenic, as opposed to deductive and architectonic, recreation of ancient buildings ... between them Adam and Clérisseau took every opportunity to charge the archaeological and geometrical data contained in the plates of Spalatro with an emotive, picturesque energy" (British Architectural Books, 1990, p. 78). Fowler 2; Berlin Katalog 1893; Brunet I:46; Cicognara 3567; Millard 1; Nixon Five Centuries 70; The Wormsley Library 61.