La calcografia propriamente detta ossia L'arte l'incidere in rame coll'aqua-forte, col bulino e colla punta ragionamenti letti nelle adunanze dell'I.R. istituto di sciense, lettere ed arti del Regno Lomabardo-Veneto

Milano: Stamperia Real, 1830. 8vo.  231 x 154 mm. (9 x 6 inches).  Contemporary calf backed marbled paper boards, two engraved plates; spine rubbed, joints slightly cracked, and some light foxing but sound and not unattractive.

First edition.  In his Short History of Engraving and Etching, Arthur Hind writes that Giuseppe Longhi was a student of Vincenzo Vangelisti, who exercised considerable influence as head of the school of engraving in Milan. Longhi succeeded Vangelisti as the leading figure in Milanese engraving and was best known for producing dry-point etchings and writing an important work on the history of engraving.  His book, La Calcografia became a standard bio-bibliography of the works of both Italian and continental engravers from the 15th through the 18th centuries.  It begins with a short history of the origins of the art, a list of tools and techniques, and descriptions of the difficulties encounter in the process of engraving and printing images.  The book also includes a 35 page biography of Longhi by Francesco Longhena, an engraved portrait by Pietro Anderloni, and a list of the most important engravings produced in Europe with valuation in lira for each of these old master prints.  Bigmore and Wyman write, "The first volume is all that was published.  A beautifully printed book from the Stamperia Real, Milan." Giuseppe Longhi was born in 1766 and died in 1826.  He was one of the most eminent of the Italian engravers.  A very fine copperplate portrait of him is given in the work as well as a full memoir."  An edition in German appeared in 1837.

Bigmore and Wyman A Bibliography of Printing, I, p. 443.  Arthur Hind, Short History of Engraving, p. 210.