Lot 131: VITRUVIUS POLLIO, Marcus (c.90-c.20 B.C). De architectura libri dece. Translated and edited by Cesare Cesariano (1475-1543). Como: Gotardo da Ponte for Agostino Gallo and Luigi Pirovano, 15 July 1521.

2o (406 x 266mm). Collation: π 8 (1r title with woodcut printer's device, π1v privileges, π2r-7v index, π8r Pirovano's preface, π8v Gallo's preface), A-Z 8 (A1r-Z7r text, Z7r colophon, Z7v register and woodcut printer's device [Vaccaro fig.112], Z8r errata and editors' note, Z8v blank). 192 leaves. 77 lines. Roman type, occasional words in Greek, commentary printed around translation. 117 woodcut illustrations [including one repetition, Harvard count] after Cesariano, Pietro Paolo Segazone [?and others], 10 full-page, woodcut historiated and floriated initials. (Scattered light spotting, minor marginal staining at fore-edges, worming throughout, heavier in the earlier gatherings, mostly skilfully repaired.) 18th-century Italian half tan sheep over colour-printed paper-covered boards, spine gilt in compartments, gilt leather lettering-piece in one, the lowest with gilt helmet and tree device, the others decorated with floral tools (extremities a little rubbed, a little wormed on upper cover and spine, neatly rebacked retaining original spine). Provenance : 18th-century manuscript shelfmark on spine -- helmet and tree device at foot of spine with initials 'FX [-]Z'. FIRST ITALIAN AND FIRST VERNACULAR EDITION. A 'SUMPTUOUS BOOK' (Dyson Perrins). The translation and commentary used for this edition of 1,300 copies were commissioned by Gallo and Pirovano, who promised Cesariano two thirds of the edition as payment for his text, while they would pay the printing costs and retain the remaining third of the edition. The printing was entrusted to Gotardo da Ponte, a Milanese printer who temporarily decamped to Como in either the latter part of 1519 or 1520 in order to print both the present work and the Como breviary. However the publication of the Vitruvius was hampered by a dispute between Cesariano and the publishers; although Dyson Perrins considers that 'there is internal evidence in his book that [Cesariano] was an insanely conceited pedant', the cause seems to have been the denial of his contractual right to read the proofs of the work. Cesariano fled with his manuscript but was apprehended, the manuscript was retrieved by the publishers, and its author imprisoned. Gallo and Pirovano then employed Benedetto Giovio (1471-1544) and Bono Mauro (fl. 16th century) to finish the work (as they state in their note on Z8r), and the work was finally issued in mid 1521. Mortimer judges the illustration of the work 'highly original... and much more detailed than that provided by Tacuino [in his Venice: 1511 edition]. Blocks have black backgrounds and strong black lines'. Particularly noteworthy are the plans and elevations of Milan cathedral on B6r, B7r and B7v: 'Cesariano's introduction of a gothic building into a classical text, apparently the first such illustration of gothic architecture, is typical of his individual approach to Vitruvius'. These images are complemented by da Ponte's typography, which Millard describes thus: 'The translation and the commentary are printed in typeface of different size and spacing, creating strong patterns of varied grays, with judiciously placed woodcuts breaking up the text' (p.496). Mortimer notes that within the edition of 1,300 copies different issues can be distinguished by variations of signature and typographical error; leaves P3, P4 and Y2 missigned as 'Oiii', 'Piii' and 'Yi' respectively (in this copy all these leaves are correctly signed) and the misspelling 'TUTA' in the headline of the errata page Z8r, which is uncorrected in this copy, indicating that it is from the earlier part of the edition. Adams V-914; Berlin Kat. 1802; Brunet V, 1330 ('dition assez rare'); Cicognara 698; Dyson Perrins Italian Book-illustrations and Early Printing 232; Fowler 395; Mortimer, Harvard Italian 544; Millard Italian 158; Norman 2158; Sander III, 7696.