The Ecclesiastical Architecture Of Italy. From The Time Of Constantine To The Fifteenth Century With An Introduction And Text By Henry Gally Knight Esqe. F.R.S. F.S.A. Vol I. (II.)
Vol. I: x p., [41] f., t.pl., [40] pl. Pl. [21] carries two images. - Vol. II: [42] f., t.pl., [41] pl. - In neither volume do the pl. carry numbers: they are assigned numbers in the List Of Plates.
Contents
Vol. I: [T.pl.] - Introduction - List Of Plates - [Plates with explanatory texts] - [Slip, 'Errata']. - Vol. II: [T.pl.] - List Of Plates - [Plates with explan. texts.]
Responsibility Note
The plates printed in full color (i.e. the two title-plates and pl. 10, 23, 27 in Vol. I) are signed as drawn by G. Moore, D. Quaglio or J.M. Knapp, and 'Owen Jones Lithochromotog'. Most other plates are signed as drawn or sketched by J.M. Knapp, D. Quaglio, Giulio (or 'J.') Aliusetti (or Aluisetti), G. Moore (or 'G.B. Moore'), Hallman, L. Feuliani, or Edwd. Lear, and as lithographed by G. Moore (once as drawn on zinc by G. Moore; once as lithographed by T.T. Bury; once, as lithographed by R.K. Thomas).
Most carry the imprint of Day & Haghe 'lithogrs. to the Queen'.
The front pastedown of Volume I carries the binder's ticket, 'Bound By Remnant & Edmunds London', and the bookseller's ticket, 'Sold By Molteno, Printseller. 20, Pall Mall.'
References
Travel In Aquatint And Lithography 1770-1860 From The Library Of J.R. Abbey ... A Bibliographical Catalogue, Vol. I. (1956; repr. 1972 and 1991), no. 170, p.152-3 [with both title-pl. dated 1843].
W.E. Kleinbauer, Early Christian and Byzantine architecture: annotated bibliography and historiography (1992).
On H.G. Knight and the context of his work see M. Crinson, Empire building: orientalism and Victorian architecture (1996); R.W. Lightbown, 'The inspiration of Christian art', in Influences on Victorian art and architecture, ed. S. Macready and F.H. Thompson (1985); C. Mignot, Architecture of the nineteenth century in Europe (1984); N. Pevsner, Some archiectural writers of the nineteenth century (1972); H.R. Hitchcock, Early Victorian architecture in Britain (2 v., 1954).
Studies of colour printing and lithography were, G. Wakeman and G.D.R. Bridson, A guide to nineteenth-century colour printers (1975); D. Twyman, Lithography 1800-1850 (1970).
On the publisher Bohn see D. Mock, 'H.G. Bohn', in British literary publishing houses 1820-1880, ed. P.J. Anderson and J. Rose (1991) (= DLitB, 106), p.59-62.
Summary Note
The two volumes of the work originally appeared separately (listed by Bohn in his 1847 catalogue as 'first series' and 'second series'). Sets are known with title-plates of the two volumes dated as 1842-3, 1842-4, 1843-3 and 1843-4 (the last are the dates given in Bohn's 1847 catalogue).
The plates show churches in Rome, Ravenna, Toscanella, Pavia, Lucca, Bergamo, Florence, Bologna, Breschia, Milan, Venice, Arezzo, Montefiascone, Pisa, Bari, Modena, Ancona, Murano, Spoleto, San Leone, Verona, San Donino, Trent, Vercelli, Assisi, Padua, Cremona, Parma, Siena, Orvieto, Perugia, San Quirico, Piacenza, Genoa, Ferrara, Monza and Rimini. Most are views; a few plans are included.
The two title-plates and plates 10, 23, 27 of Volume I are chromolithographs; the rest, tinted lithographs.
Provenance
Purchase resolved in June 1844 (RAA Council Minutes, X, 1844 June 1). The front pastedowns are inscribed in ink: (Vol.I) 'Oct 21. 1844 T. Uwins'; (Vol.II.) 'Oct 21. Thos. Uwins'. Uwins was Librarian of the Royal Academy from December 1844 to November 1855.
Binding Note
19th-century half brown morocco, brown cloth-covered boards, upper covers gilt-stamped 'Ecclesiastical Architecture Of Italy' within border; rebacked in 20th century, retaining earlier spine-pieces lettered 'Knight's Ecclesiastical Architecture Of Italy' (Vol. I) or 'Knight's Ecclesiastical Architecture Of Italy Second Series' (Vol. II).
Subject
Architecture, Italian - Churches - Italy - History - Romanesque
Art history - Great Britain - 19th century
Views - Great Britain - 19th century
Pictorial works - Colour printing - Planographic prints - Lithographs - Chromolithographs - Great Britain - 19th century