Sir William Gell - Pompeiana - 1832

The sunk City of Pompeii, captured in impressive views, architectural drawings, and reconstructions from the early period of its archaeological exploration. Sir William Gell's famous handbook documents the temples, baths, houses, and streets of the Roman town that have been uncovered since 1819. The two volumes contain numerous finely engraved plates and belong to the significant early pictorial publications on Pompeii.

Gell, Sir William. Pompeiana: The Topography, Edifices and Ornaments of Pompeii, the Result of Excavations since 1819. First edition. London, Jennings and Chaplin, 1832. Two volumes. Volume I: XXIV, 198 pages; Volume II: 207 pages. With an engraved portrait of the author, an additional engraved title page, 85 black-and-white plates, and two color plates. Two contemporary half-leather bindings with gold-tooled spine titles, decorative gilding on the spine, and marbleized covers. 25 x 16 cm
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Sir William Gell (1777–1836) was one of the most important British antiquaries of his time and dedicated a substantial part of his life to the exploration of ancient sites in southern Italy. With his Pompeiana he created a work that joined scientific documentation of the excavations with exceptionally vivid pictorial representation. The present edition appeared as a continuation of his investigations published in 1817–1819 and documents, in particular, the more recent discoveries in Pompeii.

The richly illustrated content guides the observer through the Forum, the temples, the thermal installations, and the houses of the ancient city. Particularly impressive are the views of the House of the Tragic Poet, the House of the Dioscuri, and the public bathhouses. Numerous floor plans, architectural details, and renderings of ancient wall paintings provide an immediate insight into the construction, interior fittings, and daily life of the Roman population.

The plates possess today not only art-historical but also considerable documentary value. They capture the state of numerous buildings and decorations shortly after their excavation, before weathering, later interventions, and restorations altered their appearance. Thus the two volumes constitute both an important testament to the history of archaeology and an exceptionally charming views-work from the early 19th century.

Provenance: Both volumes with engraved heraldic bookplate of Henry Young (1797–1869), presumably the brother of Sir Charles George Young (1785–1869), the prominent British herald and Garter King of Arms, from Sudbury Grove. The bookplate bears the Young family coat of arms with the motto “Nullius in verba.”
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Bindings rubbed, especially the marbleized covers with some noticeable wear; interior occasionally foxed and lightly browned, with rare marginal tears. Handwritten entries on a flyleaf. Overall a decorative, richly illustrated copy of this significant two-volume work on the early exploration of Pompeii.