Roman Renaissance and Baroque Architecture - An Extremely Rare Suite of Engravings

ARCHITECTURE. ROME. Regnart, Valérien (fl. 1610-1650)

Praecipua Urbis [Romae] templa.

Rome: Francesco Colignon, nel Imperione incontro al Toson doro, anno Iubelei, 1650.

Price: $18,000.00

Folio: 42.5 x 30 cm. 42.5 x 30 cm. 33 unnumbered plates (plate [1:] engraved dedication; [2]-[33] architectural subjects. This copy has three more plates than the Avery copy: 2. Saint Peter’s, façade; 8. San Ignazio, façade; 9. San Ignazio, dome. Bound with 6 additional plates from a 1617 edition of Vignola’s “Alcune Opere d’Architettura”.

FIRST COMPLETE EDITION, with some of the plates “perhaps 12”(RIBA), probably published earlier (ca. 1623). See long note in RIBA below.

Bound in contemporary stiff vellum, (with mild soiling and some staining, slightly bowed). The plates are in overall fine condition, on guards, with some leaves cut a bit close but never affecting the engravings; some discoloration to the paste of the guards (not affecting the engravings), edges very lightly toned. A number of the engravings are folded at the outer edge. Incidental light soiling and a few very mild stains. Plate 3 has a small tear, small damp-stain, and small defect (not affecting the image) at the fold. A few other plates with small damp-stains along the outer edge, a little worming in the gutter, not affecting the plates.

An extremely rare series of architectural plates by Valérien Regnart, probably executed in collaboration with the artist and engraver Domenico Parasacchi, active at the same time as Regnart. The plates were printed by the French emigree printmaker and publisher François Collignon (ca. 1610-1687), who had studied under Callot at Paris from 1626 to 1630. In Rome, he became a major publisher. Upon his death, his business was bought by Westerhout for 4.200 scudi. The dedication leaf bears Collignon’s first address, “in Parione, at the sign of the Golden Fleece, in the Jubilee year 1650.”

The title wording used above is excerpted from text of the engraved dedication plate, which read in full, “Sixtvs V. Pont. Max. bibliothecae Vaticanae aedificationem praescribit eminentissimo principi Francisco S.R.E. Card. Montalto in publico mundi plausu ... sibi quisque ex animo gaudet, profus*q[ue] gratulatur ... Una igitur cum templo, quod munificentia digna se, Alexander Card. Patruus tuus construxit, praecipua Urbis templa diligenter * me descripta Tibi defero..”

Not in Ornamentstich-sammlung Berlin or Fowler; Thieme-B. XXVIII, 85: "Important for his engravings after Roman facades and early Baroque church interiors. Among other things, Regnard preserves for us Michelangelo’s designs for S. Giovanni de' Fiorentini in Rome (a combined exterior/interior view and plan).”

RIBA online:

“The present work consists of a series of elevations and plans of Roman churches, often with sectional details added to the elevations in an innovative way, as dotted outlines partly overlaying the image.

“The work probably had its origins in the 1620s, when plates [9], [12], [13], [16-18], [20], [23-26] and [29] and perhaps others, were engraved and published, probably by Regnart himself at Rome. No copy of this first state has been positively identified. However, it must have been issued before 1631, since the plates mentioned were then copied in bisected form for inclusion in Michel Van Lochom's “Varie bella inventioni de tempio e depositi ornementa di altari” published in Paris in that year (see the Notes to RIBA No. 3452)… although an undated edition of the “Varie bella invention”, with different copies of the same plates, was published by Crispijn I de Passe at Utrecht and is probably slightly earlier….

“The dedication, which consists of two copperplates, the larger one bearing an image of Sixtus V, Domenico Fontana and the young Alessandro Peretti-Montalto, as well as a brief dedication to Peretti-Montalto. Since this dedicatee died in 1623, it is tempting to think that Regnart and Parasacchi prepared their suite at around this time, and dedicated it to Peretti-Montalto in recognition, or in the hope, of his patronage. [W]hen Peretti-Montalto died, they ceased to publish the suite. This first state may therefore have been circulated only for a brief period, explaining why no copies have been traced.

“Shortly afterwards, Regnart gained the support of the original dedicatee's nephew, Cardinal Francesco Peretti-Montalto (1600-1655), and a second smaller copper was added to the dedication, continuing the text with references to Francesco's patronage of architecture, following the traditions of his uncle Alessandro and ancestor Sixtus V.

“At this stage further plates may have been added, possibly including plates [6-8], which show Sant' Andrea delle Valle, with which both Alessandro and Francesco Peretti-Montalto were involved. Indeed, the patronage of both is recorded in the caption to plate [8], which reproduces the inscription on the façade of the church, which honours Alessandro and is dated 1624; this was the year in which Carlo Maderno produced his design for the façade (on which this plate may be based), and the building work was apparently completed in the following year.

“Although the details and extent of the early states of Regnart's work remain unknown, we can be fairly sure that it did not include all those plates described above, at least three of which can be shown to date from the 1630s and later. Plate [28] is a plan of Santi Martina e Luca, which was rebuilt by Pietro da Cortona in this form between 1634 and 1650 (see Dictionary of art VII, pp. 911-912). Since this plate is a plan, and no elevation of the building was included, it probably dates from the earlier part of this period. Plate [2] shows an elevation of San Pietro around 1641, with the first stages of Bernini's bell-towers in position. The south tower was built between 1638 and 1641 and the north tower was begun in the latter year, at which time both were hurriedly removed when new cracks began to appear in the façade of the building. The accompanying plan (plate [3]) may belong to the same period, although there is circumstantial evidence to suggest that it is earlier (see below). The latest plate, however, appears to be number [4], which shows the façade of San Ignazio, bearing an inscription recording the patronage of Cardinal Ludovisi dated 1626. However, this façade was not built until around 1649 (the church was consecrated and opened in the following year), so this plate must date from this period…

“Plate [2], showing San Pietro, was presumably added in the early 1640s, and plate [4], showing San Ignazio, was almost certainly prepared for the present state of the suite. This state differs in having the formal imprint of François Collignon (1609-1657) dated 1650, the jubilee year in which San Ignazio was consecrated. Indeed, it is possible that plate [4] was added after Collignon first issued the suite, since the BAL copy also lacks this plate (although, as with all the other incomplete copies, this may be an imperfection rather than a significant absence). Plate [17] shows the Gèsu, and is apparently based in part on an earlier plate by Regnart, which is reproduced by Schlimme (op. cit. p.184). This appears to be a larger copper, the same approximate size as plates [4] and [8], and shows a complete plan and elevation, with the dome, but lacks the perspective section of plate [17]. Whether this plate was ever intended for inclusion in the present series is not known.”(RIBA)

About the publisher:

“Apprenticed to Callot in 1626 for four years (see Marot in GBA 85 1975, p.24), in 1631 in Augsburg and in 1634 in Rome. Returned to Paris by 1636, where worked with Israel Henriet on Callot estate, but also for other publishers; della Bella godfather of his son Etienne baptised in Paris in 1643. Settled in Rome with his French wife in 1646/7, where seems to have worked less as a printmaker, but became major figure as publisher. His early work in Rome was published jointly with Orazio Marinaro. After his death, business bought by Westerhout for 4.200 scudi.”

The plates in the order in which they appear in this copy, with corresponding Avery numbers. The three additional plates are marked *:
1. Dedication plate Avery 1
*2. Saint Peter’s, façade Not in Avery
3. Saint Peter’s, plan Avery 28
4. Sant' Andrea delle Valle, dome (with engraved dedication to Francesco Peretti-Montalto) Avery 3
5. Sant' Andrea delle Valle, façade (inscribed “Carolus Madernus Inventor”) Probably Avery 2
6. Sant' Andrea delle Valle, section Avery 5
7. Sant' Andrea delle Valle, plan Avery 4
*8. San Ignazio, façade Not in Avery
*9. San Ignazio, dome (never executed) Not in Avery
10. San Ignazio, plan Avery 30
11. Il Gesù, façade, (elevation/section) (signed “Valerianus Regnartius sculpsit Romae”) Avery 10
12. San Luigi dei Francesi, façade Avery 9
13. Santa Maria in Vallicella, façade Avery 7
14. Santa Maria in Vallicella, elevation Avery 6
15. San Giacomo degli Incurabili (San Giacomo in Augusta), façade Avery 11
16. San Giacomo degli Incurabili, section Avery 13
17. San Giacomo degli Incurabili, plan Avery 12
18. San Carlo ai Catinari, façade Avery 20
19. Santa Maria del Carmelo in Traspontina, façade Avery 25
20. San Girolamo dei Croati, façade Avery 17
21. Santa Susanna, façade Avery 18
22. San Carlo, elevation/section) Avery 14
23. Basilica della Santa Casa, Loreto, façade Avery 16
24. Santa Maria di Loreto, Rome, elevation/section) Avery 15
25. Sant’ Atanasio dei Greci, façade Avery 19
26. Santa Maria dell'Orto, façade Avery 8
27. S. Giovanni de' Fiorentini [Michelangelo’s design], dome section (signed “Valerianus Regnartius sculpsit Romae, D[omenico] P[arasacchi] del.” Avery 26
28. S. Giovanni de' Fiorentini [Michelangelo’s design], plan (signed “Valerianus Regnartius sculpsit Romae, D[omenico] P[arasacchi] del.” Avery 27
29. Santa Maria ai Monti and Santa Francesca Romana al Palatino (Santa Maria Nova), two façades on one plate Probably Avery 21 or 22
30. Santi Luca e Martina, plan Avery 29
31. Santa Maria della Scala and Santa Maria de Monte Carmelo, two façades on one plate Avery 24
32. Santa Maria in Monserrato and Santa Caterina dei Funari, two façades on one plate Probably Avery 21, or 22
33. Santa Maria della Vittoria and San Gregorio Magno al Celio, two façades on one plate Avery 23.

Not in Ornamentstich-sammlung Berlin or Fowler; Thieme-B. XXVIII, 85: "Important for his engravings after Roman facades and early Baroque church interiors. Among other things, Regnard preserves for us Michelangelo’s designs for S. Giovanni de' Fiorentini in Rome (a combined exterior/interior view and plan).”