GENGA, BERNARDINO. 1655-1734.


Anatomia per uso et intelligenza del disegno ricercata non solo su gl'ossi, e muscoli del corpo humano; ma dimostrata ancora su le statue antiche piu insigni di Roma. Edited and with commentary by Giovanni Maria Lancisi (1654-1720). Rome: Domenico de Rossi, 1691. Folio (480 x 348 mm). 56 leaves, engraved throughout. Title, frontispiece, 15 tables and indices (printed on rectos only), 40 fine engraved plates probably by Francois Andriot after designs by Charles Errard. 19th-century half sheep and marbled boards, some light wear, endpapers renewed Some occasional staining, one table with short closed tear to blank margin. Provenance: Warren G. Smirl (his sale, Sotheby's London, 11 November 1994, lot 151). FIRST EDITION OF ONE OF THE FINEST ANATOMY BOOKS FOR ARTISTS. The French artist, Charles Errard (ca 1606-89), a court painter to Louis XIV, founding member of the Royale Academy of Painting and Sculpture, and first director of the French Academy in Rome, drew the famous frontispiece and probably also some or all of the plates of classical statuary. The work was conceived for the use of the French Academy. Choulant-Frank, pp 254-55; Garrison-Morton 386; Heirs of Hippocrates 531; Norman 888; Waller 5540.