An Account of Some of the Statues, Bas-Reliefs, Drawings and Pictures in Italy, & c. With Remarks

Richardson, Jonathan [the elder] (1667-1745) and Jonathan Richardson [the younger] (1694-1771). An account of some of the statues, bas-reliefs, drawings and pictures in Italy, &c., with remarks. [50], 357, [5]pp. London: J. Knapton, 1722. 196 x 120 mm. Paneled calf ca. 1722, rebacked, one corner repaired. Occasional foxing but a very good, crisp copy.

First Edition. Richardson the elder was among the foremost British painters of the eighteenth century; his son, Richardson the younger, was one of the greatest collectors of drawings of all time. The two collaborated on the present work on Italian art, compiled by the elder Richardson from material gathered by his son during a tour of Italy. "This was a very popular book and was used by young men as a basis for their Grand Tour. It was said that the book became the basis for future purchases of art by wealthy collectors and therefore shaped English interest in foreign old masters. It also provided an important model for Johann Joachim Winckelmann's History of Art (1764)" (Wikipedia).