Venice, Francesco Marcolini, 1556. . First edition thus; folio (40.6 x 28.2 cm); roman and italic type, title within woodcut historiated architectural border, 132 woodcut illustrations and diagrams by Salviati after Palladio, including 8 double-page, 15 full-page, 6 illustrations with woodcut overlays or extensions, small volvelle to Q2v, 2 plates on theatres at end with volvelles, pasted cancelled illustrations on E8v and F7r, B3 a cancel, 11-line woodcut initials, numerous 6-line initials, title-page lightly soiled, upper corner of D2 repaired, marginal repairs to V2-V4, occasional browning; later parchment over contemporary vellum, ms. titles to spine, red speckled edges, loss of parchment to spine, light soiling, some rubbing to extremities; overall a lovely copy; collation: A8 B6 C6 1 D-G8 H6 I8 K8 (K3 + 2K3) L8 2 1 M-Q8 R6 S-T8 V4.
First edition of Daniele Barbaro's (1514-1570) translation and commentary. This important publication is the fourth translation of Vitruvius into Italian and the sixth into a European vernacular.
The original purpose of this edition was to make accessible to architects who did not know Latin a reliable text of a higher lexicographical quality than that of previous Italian translations. Its aim was to combine the strictly philological and archaeological study of the Vitruvian text with the drafting of a commentary which would also have the function of an architectural treatise for contemporary practice.
Daniele Barbaro benefited from the close collaboration of the Vicentine architect Andrea Palladio (1508-1580), who not only drew the most important illustrations in books I-VI, but also contributed to the commentaries and the elucidation of certain obscurities of the text of Vitruvius. The abundant woodcut illustrations in the text include a large architectural title (triumphal arch), an elaborate allegorical frontispiece (repeated in fine) showing architects and their instruments, and a further 131 figures including 8 double-page and 15 full-page, engraved by Giuseppe Salviati.
Barbaro's edition 'is widely considered to be the most significant Italian edition of the treatise, the illustrations provided by Andrea Palladio, among others, are the most persuasive architecture illustrations associated with the Vitruvian text' (Millard).
USTC 863689; Berlin Kat. 1814; Brunet V, 1330; Cicognara 713; Fowler 407; Harvard/Mortimer (Italian), 547; Millard (Italian), 160.
