GALLI, G.

Album del Giardino di Bibbiani.

[Florence, Ridolfi, 1824-25] Oblong folio, 20 litho plates, dated 1824-5, with one additional plate of a monkey-puzzle tree, dated 1842. Original printed boards, titled as above and dated 1843, later cloth spine, bookplate of Giannalisa Feltrinelli. A rare and charming suite of plates showing the romantic park and arboretum at the Marchese Ridolfi's Villa Bibbiani, near Capraia to the west of Florence. The gardens were created circa 1800 by the Marchese on the site of a sixteenth century villa built by the Frescobaldi. It contained over a hundred specimen trees and was notable for the introduction of rare species such as the Araucaria Ridolfiana (Monkey-puzzle tree) depicted here in August 1842 but planted in 1820. As well as fine trees the Marchese cultivated exotic plants, including the blue camellia cultivar 'Marchesa Teresa d'Ambra' obtained by Cosimo Ridolfi's gardener, Luigi Montagni, in about 1840. The fine lithographic views show a variety of garden fabriques, including a ruin arch, thatched hut, a circular brick pavilion, fountains, statues, and even a playground with swings and a roundabout. The composer Puccini was a frequent visitor.

• GBP 2,750.00 > other currencies
• ordernr.: A168

• bookseller: Bernard Quaritch Ltd. (GREAT BRITAIN)