Picturae Etruscorum In Vasculis Nunc Primum In Unum Collectae Explicationibus Et Dissertationibus Inlustratae A Joh. Baptista Passerio Nob. Pisaur. Regiarum Academiarum Londinensis, Olomucensis, & Italicarum Furfuratorum, Bononiensis, Cortonensis, Panormitanae, Ferrariensis, ac Perusinae Socio Vol. Primum (Secundum) (Tertium) Tabulas C. Continens Aere Insculptas.
Vol. I: [iii-]lxxx, 106, [2] p., frontis., 100 pl. (10 dble.). (In the Academy's first copy instead of pl. 89 a second copy of plate 91 is bound in.) - Vol. II: [iii-]lxxxviii, 84 p., frontis., engr. dedic., [100] pl. (5 dble.) - Vol. III: [iii-]cxl, 84 p., [105] pl. (16 dble.). In addition to pl. numbered CCI-CCC there is a bis pl. CCLV, a plate facing p. xxxvii, three plates after p. liv and one folding plate before p. cvii.
Contents
Vol. I: [Front., t.p., dedic.] - Adprobationes; Imprimatur - Joh. Baptistae Passerii Pisaurensis Tractatus Praeliminares - Index Tabularum ... - Picturarum Etruscorum In Vasculis Classis ... [i.e. explanations of plates] - Index Rerum; Errata - [Plates I-C].
Vol. II: [Front., t.p., engr. dedic.] - Adprobationes; Imprimatur - Joh. Baptistae Passerii Pisaurensis Tractatus Praeliminares - Index Tabularum ... - Picturarum Etruscorum In Vasculis Classis ... [i.e. explanations of pl.] - Index Rerum; Errata - [Pl. CI-CC].
Vol. III: [Front., t.p., engr. dedic., half-title] - Adprobationes; Imprimatur - Joh. Baptistae Passerii Pisaurensis Tractatus Praeliminares [incl. Alphabetum Veterum Etruscorum ... a Joh.Christophoro Amadutio] - Index Tabularum - Praefatio - Picturarum Etruscorum In Vasculis Classis ... [explanations of pl.] - Index Rerum; Errata - [Pl. CCI-CCC.]
Responsibility Note
The frontispieces of Volumes I and II are signed as drawn and engraved by M. Carloni; that of Volume III is signed as drawn by Hieron. Bosius and engraved by G.M. Cassini. Most plates are unsigned by draughtsman or engraver, but pl. 96-100 are signed as drawn by J.B. Passeri and pl. 175 as drawn by J. Menabuoni, and some are signed by their engravers - 'J.V.', V. Franceschini, 'AP', A. Scacciati or G. Cassini. In Volume III the engraved dedication is signed as drawn and engraved by F. Tiroli; the plate facing p. xxxvii as drawn by Ioseph Repasati and engraved by Petrus Fanucci; one of the plates following p. liv as engraved by Iul. Condiotti; and the illustration on p. cxii is signed as drawn by M. Angelus Ricciolini and engraved by D. Cunego.
The first volume is dedicated by Passeri to Cardinal Giovanni Francesco Stoppani; the second, by G. A. Monaldini to Karl Joseph von Firmian; the third, by G. A. Monaldini to Cardinal Paul d'Albert De Luynes.
References
On the reception of Etruscan antiquities and ancient Greek vases see M.E. Masci, Documenti per la storia del collezionismo di vasi antichi nel XVIII secolo. Lettere ad Anton Francesco Gori (2003), esp. p.65-128; L. Burn, 'Sir William Hamilton and the Greekness of Greek vases', in Journal of the history of collections, 9:2 (1997), p.241-52 ; M. Vickers, 'Value and simplicity: eighteenth-century taste and the study of Greek vases', in Past and present, 116 (1987 August), p.98-137; M. Cristofani, La scoperta degli Etruschi: archeologia e antiquaria nel '700 (1983).
Summary Note
Passeri argues - against Hancarville, Millin and Winckelmann - that the ancient vases found in Etruscan tombs in Tuscany were of Etruscan rather than Greek workmanship.
In the Royal Academy's second copy the plates have been coloured by hand.
Provenance
Acquired by 1802. Recorded in A Catalogue Of The Library In The Royal Academy, London (1802).
Copy Note
[Second copy:] Imperfect: lacks pp. [v, vi] (half-title) of Vol. III.
Binding Note
[First copy:] 18th-century mottled calf; upper covers stamped with royal arms of Britain and 'R.A.'; rebacked in 20th century, retaining red and green morocco spine-labels lettered 'Passerii Picturae Etruscoru Vol. I (II, III)'.
[Second copy:] 18th-century marbled-papered boards, 20th-century half calf, red and green morocco spine-labels lettered 'Passeri Picturae Etruscorum' and 'Vol. I (-III)', spine lettered 'R.A.'
Subject
Vase-painting, Etruscan - Vase-painting, Greek - Vases, Etruscan - Vases, Greek - Etruscan language - Alphabet - Italy - Tuscany - History
Art history - Italy - 18th century
Pictorial works - Hand coloring - Italy - 18th century