PBA Galleries

Very Rare English edition of Serlio's "Tutte l’opere d’architettura." A work distinctive among early English imprints for its extensive and vigorous illustration. Illustrated English works of such early date are very rare. The five volume work is considered the first great illustrated architectural treatise of the Renaissance, of great influence to architectural styles around Europe. First published in Italian from 1537 to 1545, this 1611 English edition is one of the earliest, and rarest, architectural works in the vernacular language. If complete, it would be foliated [3], 13, [1]; [2], 26, [1]; [1], 73; 71, [1]; 16 leaves. In this copy, however book one is lacking the title, next leaf and final blank; book two lacking folio 26; book three with folios 26 & 27 misbound; book five lacking folios 9 -12. The contents are mounted on stubs throughout, and the work has been interleaved with the text and illustrations of the 1804 second edition of Ottavio Bartoli-Scamozzi's "Il forestiere istrutto nelle cose piu' rare di architettura... della citta di Vicenza," the folding copper-engravings of that work being of considerable interest when juxtaposed to the woodcuts in Serlio's work.