Lot 484: VANVITELLI, Luigi (1700-1773). Dichiarazione dei disegni del reale palazzo di Caserta.

VANVITELLI, Luigi (1700-1773). Dichiarazione dei disegni del reale palazzo di Caserta. Naples: regia stamperia, 1756. 2° (625 x 468mm). Engraved title with vignette, arms of the dedicatee, Charles III of Naples, fine initial 'Q' and a cul-de-lampe, 14 double-page plates by Nolli, Pozzi, Orazi and Morghen after Vanvitelli, half title (a few very light spots). Contemporary mottled calf (rebacked with spine gilt in 18th-century style, edges a trifle rubbed). Provenance: 'JS' (contemporary blackstamped crowned monogram in a decorative lozenge on front paste-down endpaper).

Only edition of this sumptuous book describing and illustrating the magnificent palace and gardens at Caserta. At the end are two additional double-page plates, engraved by Nolli, depicting the 'Reale acquedotto per le delizie di Caserta, edificato nella Valle dei Monti Tifata' (one illustrated above). These two plates were intended for the second, unrealised, part of the work and are RARE. Fowler 348 (with no mention of the extra plates); Berlin Katalog 2706 (likewise).

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