Beschreibung:

SPADA, Valerio (1613-1688, etcher) -- [Giovanni Andrea MONIGLIA]. Ercole in Tebe Festa teatrale rappresentata in Firenze per le reali nozze de' serenissimi sposi Cosimo terzo Principe di Toscana, e Margherita Luisa Principessa d'Orleans. Florence: 1661. 4° (228 x 156mm). 13 etched plates, 1 folding, 12 double-page, all by Spada. (The folding plate torn and repaired with slight loss.) Contemporary light brown sheep, covers panelled in gilt and blind, with fleur-de-lys tools at the corners, spine in four compartments with raised bands, each compartment gilt with a single fleur-de-lys tool. Berlin Kat. 4124 (calling for 12 plates). M.BELLONI. [Two albums of views of theatrical presentations. Florence: 1658? and 1661 or later]. 2 volumes, oblong 2° (229 x 313mm. and 236 x 323mm). 18 etched plates, by Belloni, several after Spada, one incorporating the impaled arms of Medici and d'Orléans. (Old folds, seven plates with neat repairs, to margins and corners.) Modern limp boards. Spada's work documents the celebrations held for the marriage of Grand-Duke Cosimo III of Tuscany to Princess Marguerite-Louise d'Orleans in 1661. Unfortunately the marriage was a disaster and quickly developed into open domestic warfare, leading to divorce in 1675. Spada was heavily influenced in his etching style by his fellow artist at the Medici court, Stefano della Bella He was employed originally as a writing-master, but after della Bella's departure for France, started to produce etchings. (3)