Lot 168: BERRETTINI, Pietro, called 'Pietro da Cortona' (1596-1669). Tabulae...

BERRETTINI, Pietro, called 'Pietro da Cortona' (1596-1669). Tabulae anatomicae. Rome: Antonio de Rossi for Fausto Amidei, 1741.

First edition. In about 1618, when he was not yet 20 years old, Berrettini prepared a series of 20 anatomical drawings, which remained unpublished until 1741. Gaetano Petrioli must have decided to publish them because of the high reputation of Berrettini's art in the eighteenth century. Petrioli's edition contained the original twenty plates (nos. I-XIX and XXVII) plus seven others with figures copied from Vesalius, Vesling, Casserio and others, along with commentary supplied by Petrioli. As a supplement, to enhance the unity of Berrettini's plates, Petrioli also had them embellished with numerous smaller anatomical figures taken from Vesalius, Valverde, and others. Choulant-Frank, pp. 235-39; Garrison and Morton 395.2; Heirs of Hippocrates 470; Wellcome II, 146.

Folio (434 x 315mm). Title printed in red and black, with engraved vignette, 27 engraved anatomical plates by Luca Ciamberlano, woodcut initials and large tail-pieces, leaves on stubs (some spotting, light toning on a couple of text leaves). Contemporary vellum (lightly soiled, extremities chipped).