LEONARDI, Domenico Felice (fl.1743, Author), DEL RÉ, Marc Antonio (1697-1766, Engraver)

Le Delizie della Villa di Castellazzo Descritte in Verso

Milan: Giuseppe Richino Malatesta, Stampatore Regio Camerale, 1743. Folio. (14 1/4 x 9 1/4 inches). First edition. [I]-LXVIII [2]. 70 pp. 83 ff. 24 double-page engravings with contemporary hand-coloring. Letterpress title, Dedication, Contemporary hand-colored engraved double-page portrait of Count G. A. Arconati-Visconti, 23 contemporary hand-colored double-page engravings with borders heightened in gold, mounted on guards, with interspersed leaves of letterpress verse.

Contemporary quarter calf on yellow marbled boards, flat spine with six gilt-ruled raised bands forming seven compartments, gilt-lettered tan morocco lettering-piece in second compartment, spinkled black and yellow endpapers, within a blue clamshell cloth box with gilt-lettered navy morocco on front board. Unsophsticated copy with minor wear to spine

First edition example of this exquisitely illustrated, hand-colored work of Italian palatial garden views, a splendid celebration and precious record of Villa Arconati and its transformation to the French style.

The tradition of opulent villas in Lombardy, akin to those in Veneto, is deeply rooted in the region's historical, cultural, and architectural evolution. These villas not only represented architectural feats but also served as significant markers of the societal aspirations, cultural shifts, and artistic trends of their time. The Villa Arconati in Castellazzo de Bollate stands as a remarkable exemplar of this tradition. As a masterpiece of architectural innovation and design, it captures the essence of Lombardy's villa culture while its Palladian architectural elements, coupled with Austrian influences, reflects the interconnections of 17th and 18th-century European architectural trends. Under the direction of Count Galeazzo Arconati, an elaborate garden in the Italian style took root at the Castellazzo estate in 1627. As times changed, however, the gardens underwent a redesign under the skilled hands of the Frenchman Jean Jauda. Jauda's artistry was apparent in his adept fusion of contemporary trends with the garden's original Renaissance blueprint. This metamorphosis brought forth a sprawling parterre, a reimagined layout of groves, and the meticulous artistry of topiary, all of which bore the unmistakable influence of Dezallier d'Argenville's (1680-1765) groundbreaking work, La Théorie et la Pratique du Jardinage (1709). Thus, the very fabric of the gardens, from the intricate construction of palisades to other vegetal architectural elements, echoed French garden aesthetics from the Grand Siècle. The new gardens in the French style were celebrated in a lavish publication with engravings by Del Ré, a prominent engraver and architect based in Milan. Del Ré had compiled an illustrated description of the luxury villas in the outskirts of Milan, published as the Ville de Delizie in 1743, and it included the Villa Arconati. Inspired by Del Ré's work, Leonardi compiled the present separate publication focusing on the Villa Arconati alone, giving it a fuller description and a greater number of illustrations. Notably, Leonardi allows readers glimpses at a whimsical Rococo zoo, an example of the 18th-century tradition that brought to the gardens exotic or fantastical animal sculptures to evoke a sense of wonder and delight in visitors. The work also features depictions of sculpture and picture galleries, which points to the residents' participation in the enduring tradition of collecting for the Kunstkammer or, in the Italian tradition, the studiolo, museo, or galleria. Leonardi's inclusion of these interior vignettes widens the lens of a book of garden landscapes, hinting at the tangible connections these spaces held with the broader tapestry of artistic and cultural endeavors. As the scenes unfold within these private sanctuaries, the pages speak not only of the Villa's magnificence, but also resonate with a larger narrative of intellectual curiosity. In this, Leonardi's deliberate curation transcends the confines of gardens and interiors, weaving a narrative thread that intertwines with the eighteenth century's spirit of exploration, enlightenment, and the insatiable pursuit of knowledge, beauty, and the extraordinary.

Berlin Katalog II, 3496. Bobins V, 1448. Cicognara 4030. Masson, Italian Gardens, p.252. Matteucci, Quelque reflexions, p.144. Millard IV, 33. Ruggeri, "Initiateur en Lombardie d'un chapitre extraordinairement interessant dans le domaine des villas residentielles," in Villas de charme dans la province de Milan, pp.13-49.

Item #41187

Price: $78,000.00