Lot 16: ALBERTI, Leon Battista (1404-1472).De re aedificatoria.Florence: Nicolaus Laurentii, Alamanus, 29 December 1485.

ALBERTI, Leon Battista (1404-1472). De re aedificatoria. Florence: Nicolaus Laurentii, Alamanus, 29 December 1485. Chancery 2° (276 x 202 mm.). Collation: a-d8 e6 f-o8 p6 q-z & ? ?8 (a1r blank, a1v dedication to Lorenzo de’Medici, a2r text, ?7v colophon, ?8r verse to the reader by “Baptista siculus,” ?8v registrum). 204 leaves, 34 lines, Roman letter, 6- and 7-line initial spaces with printed guides. Later quarter calf over contemporary wooden boards, gilt-lettered morocco spine-label, later endpapers (some minor worming). Provenance: Dominican convent of St. Stephen, Bergamon (early ownership inscription on a2r); a few leaves with early ink marginalia; Ercole Silva, Conte di Biandrate (1756-1840), book collector, director of La Scala, and author of Dell’arte dei giardini inglesi Milan, 1801, (ink stamp “Comas Hercules Silva” on front free endpaper); Bibliotheca Elseghemensis, Ghent (bookplate); James Grote Vanderpool (ownership inscription). THE FIRST PRINTED TREATISE ON ARCHITECTURE FIRST EDITION, second issue. “This treatise of Alberti’s, the first work on architecture to be printed, was begun about the middle of the century and added to, and revised by, the author until his death in 1472. It was not, however, until thirteen years later that it was published through the efforts of his brother” (Fowler). Alberti’s treatise “On Building” is based on classical observations of Vitruvius and his own experience as architect. Alberti was the architect of many important Renaissance buildings including Santa Maria Novella and the Rucellai Palace in Florence, Basilica of San Sebastiano and Sant'Andrea in Mantua. Based on Vitruvius, De Architectura his work it is divided into ten books addressing building of churches, palaces in town and country, planning of towns, gardens etc. “In accordance with classical principles, the principal elements of architecture are defined as beauty and ornament. Beauty is essentially harmony, the correct proportions of the parts… Alberti considers architecture not only for ecclesiastical purposes or private patrons, but for the first time particularly as a civic activity. His book includes a scheme for building a whole new town, the earliest printed example of town planning” (PMM). "In this copy the last quire is reprinted, as well as the inmost sheet of quire 1, is printed with Nerlius 110R, the page-contents being the same as the original issue" (BMC). RARE: according the American Book Prices Current, only one other copy has sold in the last 35 years: Sotheby's New York, 10 June, 2004, lot 139. BMC, VI, 630; BSB-Ink A-125; Cicognara, 370; Fowler 3; Goff A-215; GW 579; HC 419; Millard Italian 4; PMM 28.

276 x 202 mm.