Dürer, Vier bücher von menschlicher Proportion, Nuremberg, 1528, later vellum

Dürer, Albrecht. Hierinn sind begriffen vier bücher von menschlicher Proportion durch Albrechten Dürer von Nürenberg erfunden und beschriben zü nutz allen denen so zü diser kunst lieb tragen. (Nuremberg: Hieronymus Andreae for Agnes Dürer, 31 October) 1528 [bound with:]

Underweysung der Messung mit dem Zirckel und richtscheyt in Linien, Ebnen und gantzen Corporen durch Albrecht Dürer zusamen gezogen und durch in selbs (als er noch auff erden war) an uil orten gebessert in sonderheyt mit xxii. figuren gemert die selbigen auch mit eygner handt auffgerissen, wie es dann eyn yder werckman erkennen wirdt. Nun aber zu nutz allen kunst liebhabenden in truck geben. (Nuremberg: Hieronymus Andreae), 1538 [bound with:]

Etliche underricht zu befestigung der Stett, Schlosz und Flecken. (Nuremberg: Hieronymus Andreae, October 1527)

First editions of the first and third works, and the second edition of the second work; a fine Sammelband of Dürer's influential works on proportion, geometry and military architecture, all of which were published posthumously with the help of Willibald Pirckheimer.

The first work deals with the proportions of the human body, influenced by both Euclid and Vitruvius as well as Leonardo da Vinci, which was still unfinished when Dürer died; it was soon translated into Latin by Joachim Camerarius which gave it a much wider readership (see lot 513 for the Latin edition of the third work on fortification).

The Underweysung der Messung, first published in 1525, applied geometry to design, ranging from letter forms and the proportions of the human body to architecture and perspective.

The final work describes the construction of a fortified city based on geometrical principles as well as a vision of an ideal city and it is generally considered to be the earliest manual dedicated to fortification. It was composed shortly after the Peasants' Revolt of 1525 and the advance of the Ottomans through Hungary, and is appropriately dedicated to the King of Hungary and Bohemia, Ferdinand I. Unlike later manuals of fortification, the outline of the city is square rather than interspersed with bastions.

The lower endleaf contains a seven-line Latin poem, "In Laudem Alberti Dureri Hexastichon", dated 7 December 1610, Strassburg, by "Joannis Walchi Schorndorffensis", probably Johann Walch of Schorndorf, b.1551, an Anabaptist and author of scientific and philosophical tracts.

3 works in one volume, folio (311 x 205 mm). Gothic type, 47 lines. collation: (i) A-M⁶ N⁴ O-S⁶ T-Z⁶ (ii) A-P⁶ Q⁴ (iii) A-B⁶ C⁸ D-E⁶ F⁴. Title-pages with woodcut AD monogram, woodcut calligraphic initials, large woodcut armorial to part 3, numerous woodcut diagrams and illustrations (some full-page, some folding), 2 pasted overslips, many bifolia bound as folding plates. (Some creasing to a few edges of folding leaves, dampstaining at margins of J1-K2 in part 2).

binding: Seventeenth-century vellum (320 x 217 mm), ink lettering on spine below an imitation of Dürer's monogram. (Upper joint split.)

provenance: [Johann Walch?] — Ludewig Weÿandt, anno 1688, inscription to title of first work (likely the painter Ludwig Weyandt, active in the late seventeenth century in Gottorf and Kiel). acquisition: Purchased in 1994 from Marlborough Rare Books, London. references: (i) VD16 ZV 23128; Norman 666; (ii) VD16 D 2858; Norman 665; (iii) VD16 D 2853