Album of four works.

A fabulous album of four works by the Italian architect Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720-1778), 'the great engraver who was the interpreter and virtually the inventor of Rome's tragic beauty' (Marguerite Yorcenar). Comprising the second editions of the Opere varie and Carceri d'invenzione, and the first editions of Trofei di Ottaviano Augusto, and Antichita Romane de' Tempe della Republica.

The album includes Piranesi's surreal series Carceri dinvensione, which although not much admired during the artist's lifetime, is now one of his most popular and best-regarded works, whose influence can be felt in Goya's Capricios, and the architect George Dance's designs for Newgate Prison.

The Trofei de Ottavio Augusto were created as a guide for artists and architects to Rome, Piranesi believing the trophies to have originally been erected by the Emperor Augustus to commemorate his victory at Actium.



Four works bound in 1 vol.; folio (56 x 42 cm); bookplates (one partially erased) and ownership inscription in pen to front pastedown, MS title on vellum tipped-in to foot of front pastedown; [Opere] second edition, second issue, title in red and black with engraved vignette (Robison second issue), 10 plates on 5 sheets (Wilton-Ely 45-50) bound after Prima Parte, second edition, second issue, engraved frontispiece (Robison fourth state) and 16 plates (complete), 2 unnumbered double-page plates (later versions of the 1781 issue of these plates have numbers added (see Hind p.81): Pianta di ampio magnifico Collegio (Robison 25, third state), and Parte di ampio magnifico Porto (Robison 26, fourth state), Grotteschi, second/third states (Robison 21-24), 4 double-page plates; [Carceri] second edition, second issue, double-page engraved title and 15 double-page plates (numbered II-XVI); [Trofei] first edition. Rome: G. G. Salmoni, 1753, title in red and black with engraved vignette, 8 (of 9) unnumbered plates, 4 double-page, lacking one plate (the view of the Castello, title slightly spotted; [Antichita] first edition (1748). 30 engraved plates (including title, dedication, and 2 plates of inscriptions);contemporary half vellum, marbled boards, edges sprinkled red, minor repairs, slightly rubbed, very good.

Robison: Prima Parte 1-4, 6-17; Grotteschi 21-24; single plates 25 & 26; title-page 28; Carceri 29-44. Opere vari: Focillon 2-13, 17-18, 20-23, and 121-132; Hind pp 78-81 ('later edition B'); Carceri: Focillon 24-39; Hind pp 24-29, 81 ('about 1761'); Trofei: Focillon 134, 136-143; Hind pp 82-83; Antichita Romane: Focillon 41-71; Hind pp75-76; Wilton-Ely 103-133.