Napoli e Contorni Album -

Naples: Gatti e Dura, 1835. The Costumes and Street Life of Naples as Depicted by Gaetano Dura Hand Colored Lithograph Title and Thirty-Five Fine Hand Colored Lithograph Plates DURA, Gaetano. Napoli e Contorni Album da Gaetno. Dura. Lithografia Gatti e Dura. [Naples, ca. 1835]. First edition. Folio (12 7/8 x 9 1/2 inches; 327 x 241 mm.). Hand colored lithograph title-page with elaborate gilt border, thirty-five hand colored lithograph plates, all with gilt borders. All plates with "Napoli" at top margin & "Lit. Gatti e Dura" and "Strada Gigante" at lower margins. Plate no. 25 with neat marginal repair just touching image, strengthened on verso. Plate no. 26 also strengthened at inner margin (not affecting image). Occasional light marginal foxing or soiling but the plates generally clean with bright & fresh hand coloring. Contemporary quarter brown cloth over black pebbled boards, corners worn, otherwise quite sound. An excellent example of an extremely rare book. Napoli e Contorni Album da Gaetano Dura is a visually captivating work, providing a glimpse into the costumes and street types of Naples and its surroundings in the mid-19th century. The fine hand colored plates show male and female costumes of Naples and its environs as well as the street types of Naples itself. OCLC/KVK locate just two copies in libraries and institutions worldwide: New York Public Library (NY, US with title+35 plates); Inst. Nat. D'Histoire de L'Art (France - with 40 plates?) The number of plates seems to vary between the two copies in institutions and the three bibliographical references Colas 918 - title+28 plates; Hiler, p. 254 - title+35 plates; Lipperheide 1298 - title+28 plates. The New York Public Library copy has title+35 plates whereas according to OCLC/KVK the Inst. Nat. D'Histoire de L'Art in France has 40 plates? It would appear that a colored title and 35 plates would be complete. Gaetano Dura (1805-1878) was a Neapolitan sketch artist and lithographer. Dura began as a landscape artist and lithographer and quickly rose to prominence as one of the first Neopolitan masters of the relatively new artistic medium. His illustrations of Neopolitan theatrical and street scenes are now regarded as unparalleled depictions of local life. He published several books on Naples including: Gruppi di Costumi Napolitani (1835); Naples - Characters (183-?; Nuova Raccolta di Costumi e Vestiture di Napoli e Suoi d'Intorni (1833-35); Scénes Populaires (1840); Souvenir de la Tarantella Napolitaine (1833) & Tarantella Ballo Napolitano (1854). The Plates: 1. Contadino (Farmer) 2. Donna delle paludi (Swamp Woman) 3. Zampognaro (Bagpiper) 4. Donna di Sessa (Woman from Sessa) 5. Vecchio marinaro (Old sailor) 6. Donna di Sorrento (Woman from Sorrento) 7. Masaniello (Masaniello) 8. Pescivendolo (Fishmonger) 9. Donna di Capri (Woman of Capri) 10. Marinaro (Seafarer) 11. Donna di Procida (Woman from Procida) 12. Segretario ambulante (Itinerant secretary) 13. Lavandaia (Washerwoman) 14. Venditore di Verdura (Vegetable seller) 15. Venditrice di frittelle (Pancake seller) 16. Mangiamaccaroni (Eat macaroni) 17. Educazione (Education) 18. Venditore di pizze (Pizza seller) 19. Venditrice di Spighe (Ears (of corn) seller) 20. Trovatore (Troubadour) 21. Donna di Chiaja (Woman from Chiaja) 22. Acquajuolo (Water jug) 23. Venditrice di uova (Egg seller) 24. Pollajuolo (Pollajuolo) 25. Facchini (Porters) 26. Facchino che dorme (Sleeping porter) 27. Marinari (Sailors) 28. Acquajuolo (Water jug) 29. Fruttajuoli ed Ortolani (Fruit sellers and greengrocers) 30. Maccaronaro (Maccaronaro) 31. Pescatoril (Fisherman) 32. Calefso di Napoli (Calefso of Naples) 33. Calefso di Resina (Calefso of Resin) 34. Discesa dal Vesuvio (Descent from Vesuvius) 35. Salita al Vesuvio (Ascent to Vesuvius) Bobins III, 1033 (title +35 plates); Colas 918 (title +28 plates); Hiler, p. 254 (title+35 plates); Lipperheide 1298 (title +28 plates).