ALESSANDRI, Innocente (b. c. 1740) and Pietro SCATTAGLIA (active 2nd half of 18th century). Animali quadrupedri dal naturale dissegnati, incisi, e miniati con i loro veri colori. Venice: Carlo Palese, 1771-75.

ALESSANDRI, Innocente (b. c. 1740) and Pietro SCATTAGLIA (active 2nd half of 18th century). Animali quadrupedri dal naturale dissegnati, incisi, e miniati con i loro veri colori. Venice: Carlo Palese, 1771-75.

4 parts in 2 volumes, 2° (490 x 350mm). 4 engraved title-pages and 400 engraved plates all with contemporary hand-colouring, 4 engraved headpieces. (Lacking letterpress half-titles, very light spotting on a few plates.) Contemporary Italian mottled calf, spine gilt (some small wormholes). Provenance: Leonardo Venier (engraved dedication on the first plate).

RARE FIRST EDITION of one of the most beautiful natural history books ever printed in Venice. The text is attributed to Lodovico Leschi. The very first plate of this copy, depicting the lion, presents an extra engraved dedication to "Sua Eccellenza N.H.S. Lunardo Venier, Posessore del vivo Animale da cui fu estratta la copia. Dedicato da Innocente Alessandri, e Pietro Scattaglia". Venier was a patron of the arts, close to some of the most important Venetian artists of his time, from composer Giuseppe Tartini to sculptor Antonio Canova. Brunet V, 187; Nissen ZBI 79; Morazzoni, Libro illustrato veneziano del Settecento, 208. (2)