Engraved architectural title-page, [2], 52 engraved plates; engraved architectural title-page, 63 engraved plates. 10½x7½, early limp vellum, spine lettered in manuscript.
Collection of 115 very rich copper engravings depicting the statuary of Rome, 52 plates, and portraits of classical thinkers, 63 plates. The second work has no imprint, but gives every appearance of also being by Girolamo Porro from the same period (in addition to artistic similarities, both have the same pattern of offset from the laying together of damp sheets before binding). Both works are very rare. The portraits are marvelous, providing Brueghel-esque interpretations of the mostly Greek philosophers, poets, historians, and scientists: Plato, Pythagoras, Homer, Cato, Zeno, Aristoteles, Euclid, Heraclitus, Pindar, Dioscorides, Aesop, et al. Girolamo Porro was one of the finest engravers of his day, well-known for his illustrations of Orlando furioso and for his maps.
Condition:
Minor soiling to vellum, remnants only of ties, front cover starting with a little chipping to spine end; scattered minor offset to both works (mostly to versos); pale dampstain affecting about half the plates (about half of those only marginally); still, in very good or better condition; pl. 21 of the statues a bit misprinted but the others, particularly the portraits, are excellent impressions.