First Important Italian Flower Book

FERRARI, Giovanni Battista.  DE FLORUM CULTURA LIBRI IV.

Rome: Stefano Paulino, 1633. Large 4to. Contemporary vellum. Engraved title page and frontispiece, (viii) 522, (15) pages, including 45 plates. First edition. [Hunt, 222].

Generally regarded as the first important flower book published in Italy, Ferrari's work is divided into four parts: garden layout, individual flower cultivation, horticulture, and the use and aesthetics of flowers.  Of the illustrations, eight are allegorical prints after P.B. Cortona, Guido Reni, and Andrea Sacchi.  The vellum binding is darkened and chipped at the extremities of the spine, the wide-margined leaves are browned.  With the name, Ludovico Breny, on the title page and front blank.  Bookplates.  A good copy only of a rare and important book on floriculture.

$2,750.00