VASARI, Giorgio (1511–1574). Le vite de' più eccellenti pittori, scultori, e architettori. Florence: Giunti, 1568.

First illustrated edition of “the first modern history of art” (PMM). Vasari’s monumental collection of biographies of the principal Italian artists and architects of the Renaissance – the word “Renaissance” was coined by him – including the then under-appreciated Cimabue and Giotto, was first published in 1555. This second edition is revised and expanded, adding the biographies of 28 more recent artists, including Titian and Vasari himself as well as a treatise on artistic techniques. The expressive woodcut portraits were designed by Vasari and cut by various wood engravers including a “Maestro Christofano”, either Cristoforo Coriolano or Cristoforo Chrieger. Although some of his histories contain apocryphal anecdotes, Vasari’s work remains an outstanding authority on the artists. Adams V-296; Brunet V, 1096: “rare et tres recherche"; Gamba 1725; Mortimer Italian 515; PMM 88.

Three parts in two volumes, quarto (230 × 150mm). Title-page within architectural and figural borders composed of two blocks incorporating Medici arms at top and with inset vignette view of Florence at the foot, repeated for Part III title-page, allegorical woodcut on verso of title of Part I showing the awakening of the souls of dead artists set within the inner border block with a legend in the cartouche, repeated at the end of Part III, full-page medallion portrait of Vasari on B4v, portrait repeated on 6D1v, 144 medallion portraits of artists, set within 6 different borders of female figures representing the arts (copied from frescoes in the Casa Vasari at Arezzo), 8 borders with portrait spaces left blank, woodcut printer's devices at ends of volumes 2 and 3, woodcut initials, typographic ornaments. With the usual stamped last line on K4v (Part I), printed cancel slip correcting the artist’s name on 3R4 (Part III), ink doodling on Jacopo da Puntormi’s portrait on 3O1v (Part III) (Part I title-page soiled and trimmed, without Part II title-page, portrait of Da Vinci inlaid, Part I’s quire c inlaid, repair in Part II 5†4, without Part II’s 3a1, Part II’s 3a4 short, spotting, dampstains). Contemporary red morocco, thick gold-tooled floral border on covers, spine decorated and lettered in gold, edges gilt marbled endleaves (rebacked, corners restored, rubbed, scratched). Provenance: stamped monogram ("MO") in imitation of printer's mark on first and last text leaves of both vols.