Descrizione della Palestina o Storia del Vangelo illustrata coi monumenti (A Description of Palestine, or the Gospel History Illustrated with Monuments)

Milan: Società tipog. de' classici italiani, 1831. First separate edition. Royal octavo (26.5 by 18 cm). [4], 171, [1, blank], [4, indexes]pp; 30 hand-colored aquatint plates, complete with original tissue guards; engraved folding map (with color outline); plate with two small engraved plans of Jerusalem (ancient and Roman; the latter hand-colored); engraved depiction of Solomon's Temple (uncolored). Contemporary marbled boards, backed in navy blue cloth, lettered in gilt. Beautiful copy with wide margins, complete with all 33 plates called for in the index of plates; paper crisp and fresh (with only an occasional faint foxing spot), plates bright and (truncated) unblemished.

First separate edition of Ferrario's work on Palestine, originally appearing in his massive Il Costume Antico e Moderno (Ancient and Modern Costume), an encyclopedic work first published at Milan between 1815 and 1826, with additional supplements appearing throught 1834. In the preface the author claims to have corrected the errors of the first edition from various accounts, including those of Mayer and Chateaubriand. Descrizione della Palestina provides views of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Bethany and many other sacred sites, including ancient ruins, churches, sepulchres and historically significant landscapes. The geographical is carefully interwoven with the scriptural to provide a thorough description of contemporary Palestine that illuminates the biblical tradition. A dedication to accuracy and detail is clearly apparent in the illustrations, many of which are taken from the works of d'Anville and Mayer. People and their attire figure prominently providing an ethnographic dimension. Through these images, readers could glean insights into the daily lives, cultures, and customs of the Palestinian inhabitants during the time of Ferrario's studies. The work as a whole would also provide aid to artists who wished to represent the sacred places and monuments of the Holy Land. The plates are signed by "A. Angeli", "Landini e Bramati", "D. Landini", "Bramati e Campi", "Citterio", "G. Boggi", "Bramati e Bonatti", "Bramati e Citterio".

The Italian librarian, historian and writer, Giulio Ferrario (1767-1847) was notable from an early age for his "cultural interests and for the strongly rationalistic streak of his religiosity" (DBI). In his first bibliographic assignment, drafting the catalogue of Count Litta's library in 1796-1797, he employed a subject classification method first introduced by Bacon and later applied by d'Alembert. In 1818 he began his work at the Brera Library, a prestigious cultural institution in Milan, as a first custodian and worked his way up the career ladder until he was appointed director in 1838. Throughout his time at the Brera Library, Ferrario was involved with the vast editiorial project of the Società tipografica dei classici italiani (Typographical Socieity of Italian Classics), the publisher of the present work. While this project required Ferrario to "document the highest and most concentrated elaborations of Italian culture" (DBI), he was also involved in the production of more popular erudite works that might attain a wide dissemination. "This is especially the case with the famous and monumental Costume Ancient and Modern," in which the first edition of Descrizione della Palestina appeared. Its subtitle, "History of Government, Military, Religion, Arts, Sciences and Customs of All Ancient and Modern Peoples Proven with Monuments of Antiquity and Represented with Similar Drawings") displays a great ambition for the systematization of disparate knowledge; but here the erudition is to be conveyed through "education" and "entertainment" of the the reader who is "interested in the exotic and the different" (DBI). Through his detailed descriptions and visual presentations, Ferrario influenced the romantic and exotic perceptions of other cultures that were prevalent in his time. His books became essential references for travellers, artists, and the literati, who sought accurate depictions of the wider world. They also played a role in shaping the genre of travel literature by emphasizing the importance of direct observation and comparative analysis of cultures.

As noted on the dedication page, this 1831 edition of Discrizione della Palestina was published on the occasion of the marriage of Carlo Castelbarco-Visconti and Antonia Litta Visconti Arese. References: Bobins 1708; Lipperheide 1462; S. Nutini, "Giulio Ferrario" [in:] Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani, vol. 46; Rohricht, Bibl. Palaestinae, no. 1757, noting views after Ludw. Meyr; Tobler, p. 217. (Inventory #: 53663)