ROME 1635 -- [BENTIVOGLIO, Cardinal Guido] & Vitale MASCARDI. Festa fatta in Roma alli 25. di Febbraio MDCXXXIV. Rome: Mascardi, [1635].

ROME 1635 -- [BENTIVOGLIO, Cardinal Guido] & Vitale MASCARDI. Festa fatta in Roma alli 25. di Febbraio MDCXXXIV. Rome: Mascardi, [1635].
4o (243 x 172 mm). Engraved title and 12 folding plates by FRANçOIS COLLIGNON after ANDREA SACCHI (short repaired tear and some soiling to bird's-eye view). (Some spotting throughout.) Contemporary Italian vellum over pasteboard. Provenance: A. Greg. Jacobi Turnbilini(?, near-contemporary signature on pastedown).

This fête took place under the auspices of Cardinal Antonio Barberini in honor of PRINCE ALEXANDER CHARLES, son of Sigismond III, King of Poland. Unfortunately, the prince was not present as he had to leave Rome earlier than planned. His departure did not deter the organizers, and the festival went ahead as planned. The text was written by Cardinal Bentivoglio, while in Olschki's opinion the plates are the "plus belles qu'ait produit le XVIIe siecle." Collignon was a pupil of Callot and contrived for this book an exquisite series of plates, including the large folding plate that gives a bird's-eye view of a tournament in progress in the Piazza Navona. The plates show the elaborate costumes worn during the prince's entry into Rome; a ballet performance; and the elaborate festival waggons. Berlin 3044; Cicognara 1440; Lipperheide Sm4; Vinet 771; Olschki 16933; Fagiolo dell'Arca 128.