I QUATTRO PRIMI LIBRI DI ARCHITETTURA DI PIETRO CATANEO SENESE: nel primo de' quali si dimostrano le buone qualita de' siti, per l'edificationi delle citta & castella, sotto diversi disegni: nel secondo, quanto si aspetta alla materia

Vinegia: In casa de' figliuoli di Aldo, 1554.. TITLE CONTINUED: per la fabrica: nel terzo si veggono varie maniere di tempii, & di che forma si convenga fare il principale della citta: & dalle loro piante, come ancora dalle piante della citta & castella, ne sono tirati gli alzati per ordine di Prospettiva: nel quarto si dimostrano per diverse piante l'ordine di piu palazzi & casamenti, venendo dal palazzo regale & signorile, come di honorato gentilhuomo, sino alle case di persone private. FIRST EDITION, 1554, Italian text. Folio bound in fours, approximately 340 x 230 mm, 13½ x 9¼ inches, woodcut anchor and dolphin device of Aldo Manuzio on title page and on final page, 57 large woodcut historiated initials, 44 woodcut illustrations of which 6 full page and a couple almost full page, leaves: [2], 1-54, [2], first 2 leaves without signatures, A-O4, bound in modern full blind panelled calf, raised bands, blind rules and gilt lettered morocco label to spine, new endpapers. Occasional pale staining and pale age-browning, early ink manuscript notes concerning measurement on original front endpaper which is dusty and slightly chipped at edges with small repair to top edge, 1 line inscription on title page crossed out in ink, 1 lower corner neatly repaired, just affecting tip of illustration, now carefully restored, small worm track in inner margin from Biii-Diii, neatly repaired, no loss to text or image, another thin track in upper margin from Niv-Oi, affecting top blank margin only, a little pale staining to final leaf. A very good tight clean copy of an important manual of architecture. Pietro Cataneo (d.1569) born in Siena, was a mathmatician, architect and military engineer. This work deals with the design of fortified cities, ecclesiastical and domestic architecture, and building materials. Cataneo saw the design of towns as the task of the architect, emphasizing the importance of geometry in layouts. His work on the design of cities was influential, having been extensively cited by Palladio and elaborated on by Scamozzi and Vasari. His plan for an 'ideal city' is said to have influenced Richard Newcourts proposal for the rebuilding of London after the Great Fire, as well as the design of cities such as Philadelphia and Savannah. See: Laurence Hall Fowler, The Fowler Architectural Collection of the John Hopkins University, page 68; Cockle, Bibliography of Military Books to 1642, No. 768; Sotheby's Library of the Earls of Macclesfield, Part Ten, No. 3399; Harvard, Italian 16th Century Books, Volume I, page 163, No. 113. MORE IMAGES ATTACHED TO THIS LISTING, ALL ZOOMABLE. FURTHER IMAGES ON REQUEST. POSTAGE AT COST.