Le Maschere Sceniche E Le Figure Comiche D'Antichi Romani Descritte Brevemente Da Francesco De' Ficoroni Socio Della Reale Accademia Di Parigi, E Dedicate All'Eccellentissimo Signore Paolo Ippolito De Beawillier Duca di S. Aignan ... Ambasciatore strordinario al Sommo Pontefice Clemente XII ...
In Roma,: Nella Stamperia di Antonio de' Rossi,, 1736. Con Licenza de' Superiori.
Physical Description
[12], [1-]227, [1] p., 84 [i.e. 85] pl. (1 fold.); 245 mm. (Quarto.)
General Note
The plates are numbered 'P[rim]o.', 'II'-'LXXXIII' and 'Ult[im]o.' There is a bis plate XXXXIV (numbered 'XXXXIV 2o.'). The folded pl. is pl. II.
Contents
[Half-t., t.p., dedic.] - Imprimatur - Al Lettore - Ad Romam In Honorem Præclarissimi Viri D. Francisci Ficoronii ... Ignatii Mariæ Comi Neapolitani Elegia - [Approbation] - Imprimatur - [84 pl. with 84 explanatory 'capitoli' of text] - Avvertimento al Lettore su gli errori occorsi nella stampa di quest'Opera.
Responsibility Note
Most plates are unsigned. Eleven are signed as either engraved (pl. 4, 20, 30, 51, 61) or made (7, 29, 44b, 46, 52, 53) by Silvester Pomarede; one, as engraved by B. de Petris (48); two, as engraved by Francesco Mazzoni (73, 80).
The work is dedicated by Francesco de' Ficoroni to Paolo Ippolito De Beawillier.
References
On some representations of the themes of ancient drama see: F. Dupont, L'orateur sans visage: essai sur l'acteur romain et son masque (2000); A.D. Trendall, Illustrations of Greek drama (1971); Les imagiers de l'Orestie: mille ans de l'art antique [exhibition catalog] (1993).
Summary Note
The plates show ancient representations of masks and comic characters, with captions indicating whether they are taken from gems, paste, metal or other objects.
An 'Impressione Seconda' was issued in 1748 ('In Roma Nella Stamperia del Bernabò, e Lazzarini').
Reproductions
A reprint was published in 1978 (Sala Bolognese: A. Forni).
Provenance
Inscribed in ink on the front free endpaper, 'Smart Lethieullier Roma 1738 3: 0: 0'. Bought by the Academy in 1787 (RAA CM II, 47, 1787).