NELLI, Giovanni Battista. Piante ed alzati interiori ed esterni dell'insigne chiesa di S. Maria del Fiore. In Firenze, nella stamperia Mouckiana, 1755

Large folio; contemporary half vellum and in board binding, gilt title and friezes in leather label on spine, frontispices, title page in red and black with engraved vignette, author’s portrait, pp. XXXXIV, figurative initial letters, big headpiece with overview of church and baptistery engraved in copper by Sgrilli, 19 plates out text engraved in copper, of which 17 folded plates, numer. I-XVII, with addiction of the plates number XIII B and XIII C. all 24 plates engraved in copper. Excellent condition.

Bound with:

ROSSI, Giuseppe Ignazio. La libreria Mediceo-Laurenziana architettura di Michelagnolo Buonarroti. In Firenze, appresso l'editore, 1755

Michelangelo’s portrait, title page in red and black with engraved vignette, author’s portrait, pp. 4, prefaction, XXXIII, 22 numbering plates, of which 3 folded plates. IExcellent status.

Two important and rare illustrated art works. The first book covers the Florence Cathedral: the plates are drawn by Giovanni Battista Nelli and its are engraved in copper by Bernardo Sansone Sgrilli. Plants and sections of Nelli, which do not reflect the real shape of the cathedral, but they constitute a regularized version, show precisely technical details accompanied by notes of his son Giovanni Battista Clemente, that are still used by researchers that studying the history and developments of a yard that lasted centuries. The second work shows the Medicea Laurentian Library, a very important architectural complex of Florence, drawn by Michelangelo Buonarroti between 1519 and 1534. The plates will show in detail the general structure and the technical details, such as decoration and interior design, come in it has been good to us. Michelangelo’s portrait and the plates are drawn from the author and are engraved from Sgrilli. Giuseppe Ignazio Rossi, 1695-1731, was the founder of the important family of Florentine architects and thanks to him we have the adoption of the handwriting of Del Rosso’s surname instead of Rossi: the plates are signed, in fact, Del Rosso. Moreni, II, pp 282-83. The Lot is offered with a valid export licence.