Landi, Gaetano

Imperial folio (21 x 16 in.; 535 x 406 mm). Engraved calligraphic title, 30 handcolored aquatint plates, by G. d'Argenzo after Landi, the 7th plate with a slip pasted on as part of the title (plates variously watermarked 1802 and 1809). Contemporary red morocco gilt, covers with wide decorative border in gilt and blind, composed from fillets, roll tools and star tools at each corner, expertly re-backed to style in red morocco, the spine in seven compartments with raised bands, lettered in the second, the others with repeat decoration in gilt, contemporary marbled endpapers.

Lowndes II, p.1305.

Very rare series of treatments for buildings, rooms and accessories.

Each of the five styles (Greek, Roman, Gothic, Egyptian and Chinese) are represented by six plates. Landi, according to the title, was a professor at the University of  Bologna and a member of the Clementine Academy, and he issued the present work from his address at the Sablonnière Hotel in London.

This work is very rare: over the past thirty years only two other copies are listed as having sold at auction (one of which included only 24 plates). Landi appears to have issued at least two other equally rare works of a similar nature (A Collection of Designs of Architecture, Decorations and Ornaments, London: 1810, and Original Designs for Exterior and Interior Decorations, London: 1810).

A copy with 30 plates sold at auction (Christies 30 October 1996, lot 85) was in a binding made up from the original boards rebacked, and was described as appearing "to be complete". The present example has the plates bound in a different order to that copy.