LIONI Ottavio Rittrati di alcuni celebri pittori del secolo XVII

First edition.

Rittrati di alcuni celebri pittori is a compilation of biographies of twelve painters, some unpublished at the time, such as those of Cristoforo Roncalli and Giovanni Baglione, and others taken from existing works, such as that of Bernini, published in 1682. Simon Vouet’s life is anonymous. Some of these lives are very detailed, particularly those of Bernini and Maratti. The last portion contains a description of a painting by Maratti (Dafne trasforamata in Lauro) dedicated to the glory of king Louis XIV.

The book contains biographies of the following twelve painters: Ottavio Lioni, Ludovico Lioni, TOmasso Salini, Cristoforo Roncalli, Antonio Tempesta, Marcello Provenzale, Gioseppe Cesari d’Arpino, Simone Vouet, Giovanni Baglione, Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, Lorenzo Bernini, and Carlo Maratti. Of the twelve portraits, engraved in intaglio, eleven are signed by Ottavio Lioni and dated between 1621 and 1625; the twelfth bears no name. Bartsch describes only ten of these plates. The suite of 12 portraits is printed on smaller sheets than those used for the book.

The iconography is completed by 9 ornamental heads-pieces (some repeated) and 3 representing medals by the painters Simon Vouet, Le Bernin and Carlo Maratti (the last 2 signed by Marcus Tüscher).

This copy belonged to Carlo Caissotti, a man devoted to the French Revolution and the Empire. He had assembled a Museo of antique objects and medals, which was dispersed in 1834 along with a catalogue. His very rich library was sold at auction in 1837, without a catalogue.

Some quires toned.

Provenance  :  Giacinto Caissotti di Chiusano (1754-1831 ; supra-libris) – Pierre Jammes (Paris, 12-13 octobre 2010, n° 155) -Moatti (book plate).