Advanced Search
This deluxe guide to Rome’s Barberini palace includes accounts both of the marvelous objects in the family collection and descriptions of the building itself. The book was a giveaway for distinguished guests, and was meant to celebrate the family’s glory. Even the title is a congratulatory in-joke. In Latin, aedes can mean palace, but it also means “beehive.” The Barberinis’ family symbol was the bee; what better word to include in the title of a description of their palace?
Requires Photography
Aedes Barberinae ad Quirinalem...descriptæ
Author: Girolamo Teti (Italian, 17th century)
Engraved by: Cornelis Bloemaert (Dutch, 1603–1684)
Engraved by: Camillo Cungi (Italian, active first half of 17th century)
Engraved by: Johann Friedrich Greuter (German (worked in Italy), 1590/93–1662)
Engraved by: Michel Natalis (Netherlandish, 1610–1668)
After: Guido Ubaldo Abbatini (Italian, about 1600–1656)
After: Carlo Antonio Sacchi (Italian, about 1616 to about 1706)
After: Andrea Camassei (Italian, 1602–1649)
After: Pietro da Cortona (Pietro Berrettini) (Italian (Roman), 1596–1669)
Engraved by: Cornelis Bloemaert (Dutch, 1603–1684)
Engraved by: Camillo Cungi (Italian, active first half of 17th century)
Engraved by: Johann Friedrich Greuter (German (worked in Italy), 1590/93–1662)
Engraved by: Michel Natalis (Netherlandish, 1610–1668)
After: Guido Ubaldo Abbatini (Italian, about 1600–1656)
After: Carlo Antonio Sacchi (Italian, about 1616 to about 1706)
After: Andrea Camassei (Italian, 1602–1649)
After: Pietro da Cortona (Pietro Berrettini) (Italian (Roman), 1596–1669)
1642
Place of Publication: Rome, Italy
Medium/Technique
Illustrated book with 32 full-page or folding engraved plates and numerous engraved vignettes
Dimensions
Overall: 36 x 25 x 3 cm (14 3/16 x 9 13/16 x 1 3/16 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Philip Hofer in honor of Henry P. Rossiter
Accession Number54.56
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsEurope, Prints and Drawings
ClassificationsIllustrated books
This deluxe guide to Rome’s Barberini palace includes accounts both of the marvelous objects in the family collection and descriptions of the building itself. The book was a giveaway for distinguished guests, and was meant to celebrate the family’s glory. Even the title is a congratulatory in-joke. In Latin, aedes can mean palace, but it also means “beehive.” The Barberinis’ family symbol was the bee; what better word to include in the title of a description of their palace?
Catalogue Raisonné
Brunet V, 765-66; Berlin 2662; Cicognara 3463; Hofer, Baroque Book Illustration, 69
Description(Rome: Mascardi, 1642) Large quarto; 128 leaves, plus folding plates; modern gilt-stamped brown morocco (Joly).
Allegorical frontispiece, four portraits, view of palace, reproductive engravings of paintings and classical and contemporary sculpture, facsimiles of classical inscriptions, decorative vignettes
Allegorical frontispiece, four portraits, view of palace, reproductive engravings of paintings and classical and contemporary sculpture, facsimiles of classical inscriptions, decorative vignettes
ProvenanceVictor Masséna, Prince d'Essling (1836-1910); possibly his sale, Zurich, May 1939; Philip Hofer, Cambridge (1898-1984), by whom given to MFA,