Rome's Biblioteca Casanatense [updated link 2010] was founded in 1700 by Dominican priests in accordance with a bequest of 25,000 books that had belonged to Cardinal Casanate. The state confiscated the library in the late 1800s.
Among what appears to be a formidable online presence I found 6 volumes of butterfly illustrations on the first fishing expedition. Papillonium Rariorum Collectio by Giuseppe Ferrarini is from the 18th century but there doesn't seem to be any other information about the collection or its author online.
Volumes: I, II, III, IV, V, VI - thumbnail pages of about 275 images in total. Unfortunately (on the one hand) they load in a zooming flash interface so I could only grab screenshots. They may well be embellished beyond reality but they are nonetheless exquisite.
UPDATE: It appears that this collection has been taken offline (or I can't find it in Nov. 2010 -- here's the image collection link)
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
analytics
Books~~Illustrations~~Science~~History~~Visual Materia Obscura~~Eclectic Bookart.
Contact | Who?
Recommended Blogs
Blog Archives
Resource Sites
- digital nz
- library of congress
- british library
- library france
- library holland
- library spain
- library portugal
- european library
- library australia
- collections canada
- digital poland
- nypl digital
- botanicus digital
- v&a collections
- britmuseum prints
- smithsonian search
- smithsonian galaxy
- f.a.m.s.i.
- casglu'r tlysau
- rumsey collection
- manuscript catalogue
- digital scriptorium
- cesg manuscripts
- swiss manuscripts
- pecia mss blog
- digital book index
- rare book room
- online exhibitions
- primary sources
- worldcat search
- library directory
- digital librarian
- intute resources
- warburg institute
- lexilogos links
- digiwiki links
- museum blogs
- book arts web
- culture archive
- conservation articles
- art-history timeline
- visual arts
- arts journal
- artcyclopedia
- ukiyo-e
- calligraphy megapage
- penmanship
- woodblock
- coconino
- alchemy website
- health hist. img-banks
- health history links
- history network
- new advent
4 comments :
I'm visiting my daughter in Washington D. C., and I was struck by two framed prints she had bought at a yard sale and nearly discarded. I found Ferrarini's name in the lower corner of one and Googled it. The two prints appear to be reproductions of plates from the Collectio. --SG
I think I'm a little jealous of your daughter Steven. I was blown away by the Ferrarini illustrations and could well imagine you being 'struck' by them. Thanks.
Yours was the only link I found to identify the artist for my butterfly print. I have a framed print of the butterflies, I think it was sold by The Bombay Company, Fort Worth. So thank you as I at least have artists name right now.
Tragically, it seems this collection is now not available online, as best I can tell. I only wish I had more thoroughly sampled from it back in '06.
Post a Comment
Comments are all moderated so don't waste your time spamming: they will never show up.
If you include ANY links that aren't pertinent to the blog post or discussion they will be deleted and a rash will break out in your underwear.
Also: please play the ball and not the person.
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.