Paris, Nicolas Langlois, 1699.
4to. Uniformly bound in two contemporary full calf bindings with five raised bands and richly gilt spines. Edges of boards gilt. Traces from old paper-label on both spines. Light wear to extremities. Head of spine on vol. 1 chipped. Ex-libris pasted on to pasted down front end-papers. Previous owner's name to title-page in both volumes. A few occassional brownspots in vol. 2, otherwise internally nice and clean. (10), XII, (68), 355 pp. + 31 folded doublepage plates, not in the collation and 84 full page engraved plates, included in the collation and 1 frontispicece (a total of 116 plates); (6), 259 pp. + frontispiece.
Third edition of Daviler’s beautifully illustrated architectural work which significantly contributed to architectural education and theory and helped to standardize architectural education and practice in France. It provided detailed explanations and illustrations of classical architectural orders as defined by Renaissance architect Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola. It "was the best work of its kind yet issued and soon superseded F. Blondel's Cours d'architecture" (Fowler). It “was the standard work for architects (…) This book included a life of Vignola, a description of buildings by him and by Michelangelo, and a dictionary of architectural terms. Daviler also gave practical advice for the design and construction of buildings. His book contained plans and elevations of a typical house and designs of all architectural details such as door-ways, entrances, and windows, including even the design of gardens.” (Macmillan Encyclopedia of Architects, Vol. I, p. 504).
Order-nr.: 61137