Totti - Ritratto di Roma moderna - 1638

The rare first edition of the extensive, richly illustrated guide to Rome from the early Baroque era, with numerous views of the city and medallions, offering an impressive glimpse of Rome in the 17th century.

First edition. Publisher: Rome, Appresso Vitale Mascardi, 1638. 447 (of 531) pages with a total of 68 woodcuts, mostly depicting views of buildings, as well as 44 engraved medallions, an engraved frontispiece, and an engraved printer’s mark. Contemporary parchment binding, 17 x 11 cm.
--------------------------------------
The work leads the reader through six “day trips” through the city of Rome and systematically describes its churches, palaces, squares, bridges, antiquities, and other sights. The individual districts (Rioni) are introduced with their coats of arms and illustrated by numerous detailed woodcuts.

Among the structures depicted are, among others, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Castel Sant’Angelo, the Pantheon, the Arch of Constantine, the Collegio Romano, and numerous other monuments of ancient and Baroque Rome. The engraved medallions complement the architectural depictions with ancient coin and portrait motifs. The text and illustrations combine historical, topographical, and art-historical information into one of the classic Italian Rome guides of the 17th century.

Although some leaves are occasionally missing, it conveys, with the largely complete text and its rich illustration, an unusually vivid impression of papal Rome in the time of Urban VIII and possesses both cultural-historical and bibliophilic appeal.
--------------------------------------
Binding with signs of age-related use and storage, upper spine cap somewhat damaged. Inside clean and well preserved, only lightly browned. The woodcuts and medallions are clear and sharply drawn. Overall an appealing, if incomplete, example of this rare Baroque Rome guide.