"Picturæ antiquæ cryptarum Romanarum et sepulcri Nasonum" by Bellori and Causseo
Item Details
Authors/Artists: Text: Giovanni Pietro Bellori (Joanne Petro Belloro) & Michelangelo Causseo (Michaele Angelo Causseo). Illustrators: Pietro Santi Bartoli (Petro Sancti Bartholi) & Francesco Bartoli (Francisco ejus filio).
A comprehensive 18th-century archaeological folio illustrating the frescoes and decorations of ancient Roman crypts and the Tomb of the Nasonii, originally discovered on the Via Flaminia in 1674. This 1738 Latin edition, titled Picturae Antiquae Cryptarum Romanarum, features copperplate engravings drawn from the originals by the celebrated antiquarian artist Pietro Santi Bartoli and his son Francesco. The volume includes descriptive text by Bellori and Causseo, providing iconographic analysis of mythological scenes, such as Hercules and Antaeus (Tabula XIII), Bacchic figures (Tabula XXXIII), and architectural elevations (Tabula I). The work serves as a critical visual record of Roman wall paintings and mosaics (Tabula XXII) that have largely deteriorated or vanished since their discovery.
Preservation of Lost Art: Pietro Santi Bartoli’s engravings are historically significant because they document Roman frescoes that have since been destroyed or severely damaged by time and exposure. For collectors and institutions, these plates are often the primary surviving record of the Tomb of the Nasonii’s original splendor.
| Title and Author/Editor | Picturæ antiquæ cryptarum Romanarum et sepulcri Nasonum (Giovanni Pietro Causseo and Michelangelo Causseo) |
| Genre | Art and Photography |
| Type of Illustration | Engraving |
| Binding | Half leather with marbled boards |
| Publisher or Printer | S. Michaelis |
| Publication Year | 1738 |
| Period | Early to Mid-18th Century, Antique |
| Place of Publication | Rome |
| Language | Latin |
| Number of Books | 1 |
Condition
- rebound with tight binding and hinges; light peeling, bowing, chips, discoloration, and wear to boards and backstrip; bumped spine and corners; page toning, foxing, and wear; markings to front pastedown.
Dimensions
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- All pages not individually verified.
Item #
ITMGS43286
