BOOKS ON ARCHITECTURE



Author(s)

Vitruvius
Durantino, Francesco Luci, called
Title M. L. Vitruuio Pollione de architectura traducto...
Imprint Venice, G. A. & P. Nicolini da Sabbio, 1524
Localisation New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 41.100.341
Subject Architecture
Transcribed version of the text

French

The Vitruvius by Cesariano published in 1521 in Como, the first illustrated commentary of the De architectura but also the first printed Italian translation, had a rapid impact in Northern Italy. In fact in 1524, the humanist Francesco Luci, originally from Castel Durante (the origin of his nickname Durantino) brought out an in-folio edition of Vitruvius in the vernacular (De architectura traducto di Latino in vulgare…). It was printed in the shop of Giovanni Antonio da Sabbio together with his young brother Pietro, repeating almost word for word the Italian translation and the table of contents. In the index the spelling and punctuation were modernized. In it he develops the entries at the expense of a few ajustments “con molta fatica fatta” [made with much effort] as well as specifying it (preface, f. AA2), in drawing on his predecessor’s commentary. On the other hand Luci illustrated his translation only with Giocondo’s plates from the Vitruvius (1511), copied very faithfully and following Giocondo’s page layout in a troubling way. The decision to eliminate Cesariano’s Vitruvio plates probably asserted the independence of Venice with regard to the duchy of Milan.
In 1535 Luci’s publication came out in Venice in a new version.

Frédérique Lemerle (CNRS, Tours, CESR) – 2022

Critical bibliography

R. Argenziano, “Cesariano, Durantino e la lingua di Vitruvio”, F. Lemerle, Y. Pauwels & V. Zara (dir.), Il Vitruvio di Cesariano (1521), to be published.

F. Lemerle, “Le Vitruvio de 1521 dans la littérature vitruvienne”, F. Lemerle, Y. Pauwels & V. Zara (dir.), Il Vitruvio di Cesare Cesariano (Como, 1521), to be published.

L. Marini, L’architettura di Vitruvio esposta in italiana favellla ed illustrata con comenti e tavole centro quaranta, Roma, Dai tipi appositamente preparati nel suo domicilio, 1836, vol. 1, p. XVIII.

G. Tiraboschi, Storia della letteratura italiana di Girolamo Tiraboschi della Compagnia di Gesù bibliotecario del serenissimo Duca di Modena, Tomo II : Dalla morte di Augusto sino alla caduta dell’Impero occidentale,Modena, Presso la Società Tipografica de Superiori, 1791, VII, pars 2, p. 527.