Research Catalog

Title

De excellentia, et nobilitate delineationis libri duo : quorum priore delineationis methodus accuratè auidis iuuenibus traditur addiscendus; & ad pictur[ae] aequè ac sculpturae perfectionem vt & omnium cognitionem artium quae delineationis subsidio fulciri assolent, aditus omnis facili negotio norma mirabili patefactus commonstratur : accesserunt quamplurima non contemnendi nominis tam vetusti temporis, quàm recentis memoriae pictorum paradigmata, & exempla ... : in altero prae reliquis visuntur camei, triumphi, & ornamenta pariter multiplicia, vna cum animalium figuris, ex antiquis veteris reminiscentiae epistilijs eruta, insignium prisci temporis artificum opera quondam exarata, et in publicum producta pictoris celeberrimi Baptistae Franchi Veneti, studio et labore propalata : addito non compendioso minus quam vtili discursu picturae nobilitatem, & delineationis excellentiam omnium passim oculis spectantium repraesentante / nunc primum per Iacobum Francum, Venetum, publici iuris factum, et euulgatem.

Author

Palma, il Giovane, 1544-1628

Publication

Venetijs : Ad insigne Solis [that is, Giacomo Franco], [after 20 Sept. 1611]

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Franco, Battista, 1510?-1561
• Franco, Giacomo, 1550-1620
• Franceschini, Tito, approximately 1544-

Description

[49] leaves : illustrations; 34 cm (fol.)

Summary

Subjects: In book 1, chiefly studies of portions of human anatomy (faces, limbs, torsos, etc.); in book 2, chiefly copies of Roman wall paintings, reliefs and cameos. Print on leaf [49] depicts John the Baptist reclining in the wilderness (Bartsch 34).

Alternative Title

• De excellentia, et nobilitate delineationis libri dvo
• Designationis studiosis Iacobus Francus.
• Camei, triumphi, ornamenta, animalia, aliaque huiusmodi ex gemmis et pilis uetustis à penitionibus illorum temporum artificibus elaboratis expressa.

Subject

• Palma, il Giovane, 1544-1628
• Franco, Battista, 1510?-1561
• Drawing, Italian > Italy > 15th century
• Drawing, Italian > Italy > 16th century
• Drawing > Technique > Early works to 1800
• Anatomy, Artistic > Early works to 1800
• Human figure in art > Early works to 1800
• Cameos, Ancient > Pictorial works > Early works to 1800
• Classical antiquities in art > Early works to 1800
• Sculpture in art > Early works to 1800

Genre/Form

Drawing books – Italy – 17th century.

Note

• "Cum priuilegio."
• Etching on title page is signed "Iacobus Palma fecit" in a separate small overlapping etching (plate mark 25 x 56 mm). BnF copy lacks the signature plate.
• Also issued in Italian under title: Della nobiltà del disegno, diviso in due libri. With dedication and essay in Italian, the latter with caption title "A gli studiosi del disegno, Giacomo Franco"; without the verses by Franceschini. See BnF record, cited below.
• Date of publication from Giacomo Franco's dedication to Jean-Baptiste Duval, which is dated "Venetijs, 12. calendas Octobris. MDCXI," i.e. 20 Sept. 1611. (In the Italian edition, the dedication is dated "Di Venetia, il di 20. settembre 1611.")
• Second book has engraved illustrated title page, which reads: Camei, triumphi, ornamenta, animalia, alia[que] huiusmodi ex gemmis et pilis uetustis à penitionibus illorum temporum artificibus elaboratis expressa, quae Ioannes Baptista Francus Venetus pictor clarissimus depinxit quibus nonnullae ab eodem ex naturali expressae accesserunt historiae. Venetijs aput Iacobus [sic] Franco ad signum Solis. Con privilegio.
• Only leaves [1-3] contain letterpress, comprising title page, dedication, essay by Franco, with caption title "Designationis studiosis Iacobus Francus," and commendatory verses by Tito Franceschini. Leaves [2-3] printed on both sides.
• First book (leaves [1-29]) contains etching on title page, 13 full-page etchings and 13 full-page engravings. Second book (leaves [30-49]) contains etched title page and 27 etchings with engraving, of which 10 are full-page and 2 double-page.
• Illustrations (book 1): 27 prints (1 on title page) : etching (14), engraving (13) ; full-page (26) and plate mark 16 x 19 cm. Etchings, including title page, are by Palma il Giovane after his own designs; engravings by an anonymous artist after Palma. Except title page, all are signed in plate "Iacobus Franco formis" or "Giacomo Franco forma," followed by "con priuilegio" (with slight variants).
• Illustrations (book 2): 28 prints (including title page) on 20 leaves : etching, engraving ; double-page (2), full-page (11) or smaller (15). Title page drawn and etched by Palma (Bartsch 23-1); remainder drawn and in part engraved by Battista Franco; some reworked by Giacomo Franco. Most signed in plate: "Batista Franco fece" or "Batista Franco fecit" (or " ... fecit dal anticho"); 1 signed "Batista Francho inuentor et fecit"; 2 also signed respectively "Franco forma" and "Giacomo Franco forma." Copies of cameos chiefly identified in plate as "cameo anticho" or "camei antichi." Each of the double-page prints has a full-page print on recto of first leaf.
• Signatures (Spencer Coll. copy): [1]⁴ [2-5]⁶ [6]⁸ (6₁+1, 6₄+chi²) [7]⁴ [8]² [9]⁴.
• Bartsch citations for Palma relate to the 1636 edition of this work, with title Regole per imparar a disegnar i corpi humani, published in Venice by Marco Sadeler. Bartsch citations for Battista Franco are not associated with this work.

Indexed In (note)

• Cicogna, E.A. Delle inscrizioni veneziane
• Bartsch, A. Peintre graveur
• Illustrated Bartsch
• BnF

Additional Formats (note)

• Book 1 (title page in Latin, dedication and essay in Italian) is also available online via Gallica (Bibliothèque nationale de France copy).

Provenance (note)

• Unidentified Chinese inscription mounted on front pastedown.

Binding (note)

• Contemporary brown calf, with blind and gilt fillets at edges and a gilt central lozenge ornament on both boards. Front board: papal insignia within a surround including 2 angels and 2 cherubs' heads; back board: IHS monogram within a surround as on front board. Binding is worn; leather separating from boards; joints weak; part of backstrip wanting.

Call Number

Spencer Coll. Ital. 1611 12-230

OCLC

857313511

Author

Palma, il Giovane, 1544-1628, artist, etcher.

Title

De excellentia, et nobilitate delineationis libri duo : quorum priore delineationis methodus accuratè auidis iuuenibus traditur addiscendus; & ad pictur[ae] aequè ac sculpturae perfectionem vt & omnium cognitionem artium quae delineationis subsidio fulciri assolent, aditus omnis facili negotio norma mirabili patefactus commonstratur : accesserunt quamplurima non contemnendi nominis tam vetusti temporis, quàm recentis memoriae pictorum paradigmata, & exempla ... : in altero prae reliquis visuntur camei, triumphi, & ornamenta pariter multiplicia, vna cum animalium figuris, ex antiquis veteris reminiscentiae epistilijs eruta, insignium prisci temporis artificum opera quondam exarata, et in publicum producta pictoris celeberrimi Baptistae Franchi Veneti, studio et labore propalata : addito non compendioso minus quam vtili discursu picturae nobilitatem, & delineationis excellentiam omnium passim oculis spectantium repraesentante / nunc primum per Iacobum Francum, Venetum, publici iuris factum, et euulgatem.

Publisher

Venetijs : Ad insigne Solis [that is, Giacomo Franco], [after 20 Sept. 1611]

Type of Content

still image

text

Type of Medium

unmediated

Type of Carrier

volume

Additional Formats

Book 1 (title page in Latin, dedication and essay in Italian) is also available online via Gallica (Bibliothèque nationale de France copy).

Indexed In:

Cicogna, E.A. Delle inscrizioni veneziane, V, p. 432-434

Bartsch, A. Peintre graveur, v. 16, p. 288-293 (Palma the Younger no. 2-12, 14, 18, 23-1); v. 16, p. 130-154 (B. Franco, no. 34, 48-54, 56-58, 63, 71-72, 81-93)

Illustrated Bartsch, v. 33, Palma the Younger no. 2-12, 14, 18, 23; v. 32, B. Franco, no. 34, 48-54, 56-58, 63, 71-72, 81-93

BnF FRBNF30459008 (book 1 only), FRBNF30459007 (Italian ed.)

Binding

Contemporary brown calf, with blind and gilt fillets at edges and a gilt central lozenge ornament on both boards. Front board: papal insignia within a surround including 2 angels and 2 cherubs' heads; back board: IHS monogram within a surround as on front board. Binding is worn; leather separating from boards; joints weak; part of backstrip wanting. NN

Provenance

Unidentified Chinese inscription mounted on front pastedown. NN

Local Note

Bartsch numbers noted in pencil throughout. Book 1 is chiefly foliated in pencil.

Place of Publication

Italy Venice.

Added Author

Franco, Battista, 1510?-1561, artist, engraver.

Franco, Giacomo, 1550-1620, publisher, engraver, writer of added text.

Franceschini, Tito, approximately 1544- writer of added text.

Added Title

Designationis studiosis Iacobus Francus.

Camei, triumphi, ornamenta, animalia, aliaque huiusmodi ex gemmis et pilis uetustis à penitionibus illorum temporum artificibus elaboratis expressa.

Research Call Number

Spencer Coll. Ital. 1611 12-230