Li Cinque Libri Di Architettura Di Gio. Battista Montani Milanese Nel primo libro si contengono li Cinque Ordini con le loro Regole et ornamenti cavati dall' Antico Nel secondo li Tempii antichi di Roma con le loro Pia[n]te alsate, e spacchate Nel terzo seguitano li Tempii, e Sepolcri antichi con le loro Piante alzate, e spacchate Nel quarto si comprendono varie Inventioni di Altari e Depositi Moderni Nel quinto diversi disegni di Tabernacoli moderni
Architettura Con Diversi Ornamenti Cavati Dall'Antico
Scielta D. Varii Tempietti Antichi
Raccolta De Tempii, E Sepolcri Disegnati Dall'Antico
Diversi Ornamenti Capricciosi Per Depositi O Altari Ultilissimi a Virtuosi
Tabernacoli Diversi novamente inventati
Imprint
Si Stampano e si Vendono in Roma: da Gio: Jacomo de Rossi Alla Pace, con Privilegio del Sommo Pontefice concesso l'Anno 1691.
The plates include an engraved title-plate for the whole work, engraved title-plates for each of the five books, an engraved portrait of Montano in Book I, and an engraved 'Alli Lettori' incorporating a portrait of Soria in Book II. In the third Book there is a bis pl. 48 - making a total of 49 pl. as called for in a note on the title plate ('Pezzi no. 49').
Responsibility Note
The author is variously referred to as Montani, Montano or Montana.
Few plates are signed. The name of the designer Gio. Batta. Montana appears in Book V on plates 5, 6, 8, 10-13; that of designer GiovanBattista Soria on pl. 4 of the same book. The name of the engraver Hieroni. David appears on the two portraits, on pl. 48 of Book II and on plates 5, 6, 8, 10-13 of Book V; of the engraver 'C.C.F' in Book IV on the title plate and pl. 5-7, 10-12, 26-39; of the engraver 'BF' on the title plate of Book II.
The first Book is dedicated on its title plate to Cardinal Biscia; the second, to Cardinal Borghese; the third has no dedication; the fourth, to Cardinal Hippolito Aldobrandino (afterwards Pope Clement VIII); the fifth, to Tadeo Barberino, Prencipe di Roiano. It is stated on the title plates of the second, fourth and fifth Books that they have been brought to light by Giovanni Battista Soria.
References
RIBA, Early printed books, 3 (1999), nos. 2171, 2172, p.1162-6; A. Bedon, 'Architettura e archaeologia nella Roma del cinqecento: Giovan battista Montano', in Arte Lombarda, n.s. LXV/2 (1983), p. 111-26; J. von Hennenberg, 'Emilio dei Cavalieri, Giacomo della Porta and G.B. Montano', in J. Soc. Archit. Hist., XXXVI (1977), p. 252-5; G. Zander, 'Le invenzioni architettoniche di Giovanni Battista Montano milanese (1534-1621)', in Quad. Ist. Stor. Archit., XXX (1958), p. 1-21, XLIX (1962), p. 1-32.
Summary Note
The title plates of Books 1-3 carry the date 1684; but that of Book I has also the words 'con Privil. S.P. concesso l'Ao. 1691' engraved in smaller characters.
The titles on the five title pages are: I. 'Architettura Con Diversi Ornamenti Cavati Dall'Antico ... Libro Primo'; II. 'Libro Secondo Scielta D. Varii Tempietti Antichi Con le Piante et Alzatte, Desegnati in Prospettiva ... '; III. 'Raccolta De Tempii, E Sepolcri Disegnate Dall'Antico ... Libro Terzo'; IV. 'Diversi Ornamenti Capricciosi Per Depositi O Altari Ultilissimi a Virtuosi ... Libro Quarto'; V. 'Tabernacoli Diversi novamente inventati ... Libro Quinto'.
Montano combined the skills of woodcarver, sculptor, architect, provider of architectural models and lecturer on architecture. Much of his energy was devoted to making drawings of antiquities in and around Rome - some of which were adapted later by Serlio, Palladio, Duperac, Pirro Ligorio and Peruzzi. (These drawings are now in Milan, London (Soane Museum, V&A), Oxford (Ashmolean), Edinburgh (National Gallery) and Berlin.) Some of the drawings were published between 1624 and 1638 by Soria, C. Ferrante and B. de' Rossi; and in 1684 the single volumes were republished in a collected edition. Baglione has named only Soria and Vincenzo della Greca as Montano's pupils, but the influence of his designs for tabernacles, ground-plans and elevations has been traced in the work of Cortona, Bernini and especially Borromini.
Provenance
Recorded in RAA Library, Catalogue, 1802.
Binding Note
Contemporary calf, brown morocco spine-label lettered 'Architettu Di Montani'.
Subject
Architecture - Antiquities, Roman - Architectural orders - Temples - Italy - Rome - History
Architecture - Aedicules - Tabernacles - Altars - Italy - Rome - History - 17th century
Pictorial works - Italy - 17th century