BODONI, Giambattista (1740-1813) Le più insigni Pitture Parmensi indicate Agli Amatori delle Belle Arti. Parma: dalla tipografia Bodoniana, 1809 [i.e.1816] One of only 60 copies printed in folio format on papier vélin; the dedication copy of Empress Marie-Louise, finely bound in red morocco with her crowned monogram. Marie-Louise (1791-1847, daughter of Francis I, Emperor of Austria) was a bibliophile, assembling a library from the time she became Napoelon's wife in 1810, and continuing after Napeolon's exile. In the post-Waterloo settlement, she became Duchess and ruler of Parma in 1816, and she amassed a large library while living there. Giambattista Bodoni came from a family of printers, and had moved to Parma in 1768 to start work at the royal press under the patronage of Don Ferdinando di Borbone (Duke Ferdinand of Parma). Helped by two of his brothers, Bodoni maintained a high output of books using the highest quality paper, ink and other materials. He ran both the royal press and his own private press in tandem. The present work spent a long time in gestation, perhaps being planned as early as 1795, but work did not start on it until 1808, and it was only completed posthumously in 1816. It seems likely that Bodoni's widow presented the book to the Empress. It is known that Marie-Louise had at least two other copies of this folio edition in her library: one bound in vellum, and another, like the present copy, in red morocco. However, only this copy has the plates before letters, and is therefore probably the dedication copy destined for personal presentation to the dedicatee. 'È veramente un venustissimo libro ... e uno de' capolavori della Stamperia Bodoniana' (Brooks 1059). Giuseppe De Lama, Vita del cavaliere Giambattista Bodoni tipografo italiano (Parma, 1816), p.185; Giampiero Giani, Catalogo delle autentiche edizioni Bodoniane (Milan, 1948), 187. Folio (495 x 340mm). Half-title, dedication and text in Italian and French, engraved frontispiece and 59 engraved plates before letters (tiny spot on French dedication, otherwise a fine, clean copy). Contemporary red morocco, covers with gilt crowned cypher of Empress Marie-Louise within gilt roll-tool border of scrolling vine with grape and pine cone ornaments , gilt spine, turquoise glazed-paper endpapers, uncut (front hinge starting to crack, extremities lightly rubbed). Provenance: Empress Marie-Louise (1791-1847; binding, sold Christie's 8 May 1985, lot 173) – Calvin Bullock (bookplate).
BODONI, Giambattista (1740-1813) Le più insigni Pitture Parmensi indicate Agli Amatori delle Belle Arti. Parma: dalla tipografia Bodoniana, 1809 [i.e.1816] One of only 60 copies printed in folio format on papier vélin; the dedication copy of Empress Marie-Louise, finely bound in red morocco with her crowned monogram. Marie-Louise (1791-1847, daughter of Francis I, Emperor of Austria) was a bibliophile, assembling a library from the time she became Napoelon's wife in 1810, and continuing after Napeolon's exile. In the post-Waterloo settlement, she became Duchess and ruler of Parma in 1816, and she amassed a large library while living there. Giambattista Bodoni came from a family of printers, and had moved to Parma in 1768 to start work at the royal press under the patronage of Don Ferdinando di Borbone (Duke Ferdinand of Parma). Helped by two of his brothers, Bodoni maintained a high output of books using the highest quality paper, ink and other materials. He ran both the royal press and his own private press in tandem. The present work spent a long time in gestation, perhaps being planned as early as 1795, but work did not start on it until 1808, and it was only completed posthumously in 1816. It seems likely that Bodoni's widow presented the book to the Empress. It is known that Marie-Louise had at least two other copies of this folio edition in her library: one bound in vellum, and another, like the present copy, in red morocco. However, only this copy has the plates before letters, and is therefore probably the dedication copy destined for personal presentation to the dedicatee. 'È veramente un venustissimo libro ... e uno de' capolavori della Stamperia Bodoniana' (Brooks 1059). Giuseppe De Lama, Vita del cavaliere Giambattista Bodoni tipografo italiano (Parma, 1816), p.185; Giampiero Giani, Catalogo delle autentiche edizioni Bodoniane (Milan, 1948), 187. Folio (495 x 340mm). Half-title, dedication and text in Italian and French, engraved frontispiece and 59 engraved plates before letters (tiny spot on French dedication, otherwise a fine, clean copy). Contemporary red morocco, covers with gilt crowned cypher of Empress Marie-Louise within gilt roll-tool border of scrolling vine with grape and pine cone ornaments , gilt spine, turquoise glazed-paper endpapers, uncut (front hinge starting to crack, extremities lightly rubbed). Provenance: Empress Marie-Louise (1791-1847; binding, sold Christie's 8 May 1985, lot 173) – Calvin Bullock (bookplate).
Try LotSearch and its premium features for 7 days - without any costs!
Be notified automatically about new items in upcoming auctions.
Create an alert.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
