Giovanni Battista Piranesi 1720-1778

Volumes 1 and 2 only (of 4), folio (22 1/4 x 14 1/8 in.; 565 x 358 mm). 90 only numbered full-sheet, full-page, or half-page engraved plates (these last placed two on a page but only numbered as one), including engraved titles and dedication, 6 engraved historiated initials,and 2 engraved text vignettes; vol. 1 lacking plates 24, 33, and 36, vol. 2 lacking plates 14-16, 25, 28, 33, 42, 44, 46, 47, and 57, some foxing throughout but chiefly marginal, light scattered foxing affecting about 6 plates, a bit of marginal staining and soiling, early repair to long tear in upper right corner of plate 23 in vol. 1, 2 small paper flaws not affecting images of plates 9 and 22 in vol. 2, small tear touching one word in caption of plate 5 in vol. 2, fore-edge of one text leaf in vol. 1cropped.  Disbound, housed in 2 custom-made half linen portfolios and acid-free archival boxes, bookplates of John Adam Architect (2), John Adam (2) and William Patrick Adam (1) and fragments of the original binding preserved.

John Adam (brother of Robert, armorial bookplate designating him "Architect") — John Adam (son of the preceding) — William Patrick Adam, Blair Adam Library

Ficacci pp. 166-319; Focillon 144-395; Hind pp. 83-84

A fine selection of engravings from the first edition, early issue of Piranesi's masterwork, with distinguished provenance, having belonged to John Adam, of the celebrated fraternal triumvirate of architects who established the neo-classical canon in 18th century England.  Robert Adams travelled to Italy in 1754; and in the ensuing years he developed a close professional relationship with Piranesi, with whom he shared a passionate interest in antiquity.  In fact, Piranesi dedicated his Il Campo marzio dell'antica Roma (1762) to Robert Adam. In turn, Robert invited Piranesi to produce two plates for the monumental Works in Architecture (1778-1779), and Piranesi happily complied. It was most likely Robert who ordered the copy of the Antichità (or copies, Robert Adam's set was sold at auction by Christie's 20 May 1818).  What is abundantly clear is that all three brothers—John, Robert, and James—consulted Piranesi's work for its definitive authority on classical architecture and for its inspiration.

Piranesi's reputation as "the foremost artistic proponent of Roman architecture" (Robison, Piranesi, 1986, p. 11) was confirmed by the 1756 publication of the Antichità, which was an expansion of his earlier work, Camera Sepolcrali degli Antichi Romane (1750), issued under the patronage of James Caulfield, first Earl of Charlemont. With Caulfield's pledge of further sponsorship, Piranesi began the painstakingly ambitious augmentation of his work, which he dedicated to Caulfield. However, when Lord Charlemont returned to Ireland in 1754,  financial support for the work inexplicably ceased. According to John Wilton-Ely (cf. Wilton-Ely's introduction in the Getty Research Institute publication,  "Piranesi's Observations on the Letter of Monsieur Mariette," 2002, p. 10), Piranesi, feeling slighted, altered the dedicatory frontispiece in volume 1 after the sale of only 40 copies to eliminate all mention of Caulfield.  The present set contains the rare original dedication with its fulsome tribute to the young Irish nobleman.

While depicting archaeological monuments and sites, sepulchres, ancient bridges, and baths, Antichità differs from Piranesi's previous work in its concern with the construction techniques of antiquity. His training as an architect casts light on the archaeological discoveries, and his personal sense of the grandeur and melancholy of the ruins gives dramatic impact to the images, prompting John Adam's brother Robert to observe that "[Piranesi] alone might be said to breathe the Antient air."