(PDF) Rejecting Piranesi

Rejecting Piranesi Author(s): Heather Hyde Minor Source: The Burlington Magazine, Vol. 143, No. 1180 (Jul., 2001), pp. 412-419 Published by: The Burlington Magazine Publications, Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/889096 Accessed: 06/09/2008 10:08 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=bmpl. Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission. JSTOR is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1995 to build trusted digital archives for scholarship. We work with the scholarly community to preserve their work and the materials they rely upon, and to build a common research platform that promotes the discovery and use of these resources. For more information about JSTOR, please contact

. http://www.jstor.org HEATHER HYDE MINOR Rejecting Piranesi* o N 13thJune 1747 Maria Amalia of Saxony, wife of Carlo III archaeology and art and edited numerous books, including Borbone, King of the Two Sicilies, finally gave birth to a male Montesquieu's L'EspritdesLois and an edition ofVasari's Lives heir. After five daughters and nine years of marriage, the as well as an important and well-known collection of artists' Infante Filippo's arrival caused the entire city of Naples to letters.5For the Narrazioneproject, Bottari did everything from erupt into two weeks of elaborate public celebrations, begin- ordering the paper, to selecting and negotiating with the ning on 4th November 1747, the feast day of S. Carlo. To engravers and supervising the printing. commemorate the festivities the king decided to commission The letters documenting the book's preparation afford a book of eighteen engravings and to send copies all over glimpses into the problems of the engravers, as well as illu- Europe (Figs.9-10).' The book, however, like his son, was minating Bottari's role as the increasingly exasperated co- to prove a disappointment. The volume took more than two ordinator of the enterprise. Vincenzo Re (d. 1762), a painter years to complete: paper from Holland was endlessly from Parma and director of scenography at the S. Carlo delayed, the engravers had to re-do their plates, the text was theatre in the Palazzo Reale in Naples, designed all the late, epigrams were composed and re-composed, and a host ephemeral structures and the sets for the play produced to of other problems plagued the production.2 Ten years after celebrate the royal birth.6 His drawings were sent to Rome the imperial folio finally appeared,3 Filippo was excluded where they were then engraved by seven different artists, from the throne after a committee of magistrates, high offi- including Giuseppe Vasi, one of Piranesi's early teachers, and cials, and six physicians declared him mentally deficient. Felice Polanzani, a Venetian who went on to engrave Pira- At least one large engraving by Giovanni Battista Piranesi nesi's portrait for the frontispiece of the AntichitaRomane (1720-78; Fig.11) was supposed to appear in the book. shortly after the NJarrazione was completed. Nicolas-Henri Although his work was ultimately rejected by the Neapolitan Jardin and Louis-Joseph Le Lorrain, two pensionnairesfrom court, a series of letters (see the Appendix, below) detail the French Academy in Rome, also contributed engravings,7 Piranesi's efforts and their reception. while Carlo Gregori and Angelo Guiducci each supplied a Work on the publication was carried out in Naples and in single plate.8 The seventh engraver was to be Piranesi. All the Rome. Bartolomeo Corsini (1683-1752) and Count Raffael- artists were required to submit proofs of their work to Bottari, lo Tarasconi Smeraldi served as organisers of the project in who forwarded them to Corsini and Tarasconi in Naples (see Naples while Giovanni Gaetano Bottari (1698-1775; Fig. 12) Appendix, Letter 1). Re seems to have had a considerable supervised the assembly and printing of the book in Rome. say over the final approval of the plates but he had little Corsini, who became viceroy of Sicily in 1737 and was liter- experience with engraving, something that continued to ally Carlo's right-hand man from the time he triumphantly annoy Bottari throughout the project. The process of creat- marched into Naples in 1734, directed and funded Bottari, ing plates, sending proofs to Naples, re-working plates to who was the Corsini family librarian and assistant custodian the satisfaction of Re and other members of the court, and of the Vatican Library. A major figure in eighteenth-century re-sending proofs to Naples for final approval considerably Rome, Bottari had considerable stature in the Republic of lengthened the time-frame of the project. The plates were Letters, and maintained a vast network of correspondents then printed in Rome (in the Palazzo Farnese) on paper throughout Europe.4 His interests ranged from early Tuscan imported at considerable expense (and headache) from literature to theJansenist controversies. Serving as the private Holland.9 chaplain to four popes, he also wrote volumes of his own on The correspondence among Corsini, Tarasconi, and Bot- *I would like to thank GiancarlaPeritiandJulia Triolo for their invaluablehelp in 4See,for example,'Elogiodi MonsignorGiovanniGaetano Bottari',Antologia romana preparingthis article.I am very gratefulto the KressFoundationand the Bibliothe- [August1775], no.8, p.59: 'Benchenonin tuttigliaffaridiRomaavesseavutaparte, eraperb ca Hertzianafor supportingmy researchin Rome. Anna Lee Pauls of Rare Books anzicredodipoterdire,chenessuno di tuttiinformatissimo, piu di lui la cronica possedeva muni- and Special Collections at FirestoneLibrary,Princeton University,also provided cipale,e segreta diRoma.' timely and generousassistance. 5See entries by s. PROSPERIVALENTIRODINO in the DictionaryofArt, ed. j. TURNER, Lon- tThe exact size of the print run is unknown.In November 1748 Carlo decided that don [1996], IV p.492; and by G. PIGNATELLIand A. PETRUCCI in Dizionario biografico he wanted to give two hundredbooks as gifts(Rome,BibliotecaCorsiniana- here- degliItaliani,XIII, Rome [1971], pp.409-18. aftercited in these notes as BCR - Cors. 44 E 21, fol.234v)and inJune 1749 thirty 6ForRe, see F. MANCINI: Scenografia dell'eta napolitana barocca, Naples [1964], pp.94-108. copies were printed on silk (ibid.,fol.308v). When the book was printed, copies Re was the directorof scenographyat S. Carlo from 1737 until his death. bound with the royalcreststampedon the coverswere made for the king,the queen 7LeLorraindrew the title-pagevignette for Piranesi's1750 Opere varie,as well as his and other Europeanrulers(ibid.,fol.283v).Forprintmakingin Rome underNeapoli- 1751 Magnificenze di Roma.Two architecturalmotifsfrom his 1748 Chineaengraving tan royalpatronage,see j. MOORE: 'Prints,Salami,and Cheese:Savoringthe Roman have been connected to Piranesi'sworksby Andrew Robison (A. ROBISON: Piranesi: Festivalof the Chinea',ArtBulletin,LXXVII [1995], pp.584-608. EarlyArchitecturalFantasies, Chicago [1986], p. 1). 2Workon the book was delayedfor a myriadreasons,the firstbeing indecisionabout 'Carlo Gregori engravedthe first frontispieceand Angelo Guiducci engravedthe the baby'stitle and viability(BCR, Cors. 2483 bis, unfoliated,27thJune 1747).Two view of Baia that appears at the top of the firstpage of text. Gregori also made a years later Corsiniwas still sheepish about the date that should appear on the title smallview in the final stagesof the book productionthat servesas a decorativefrieze page of the book. In a letter of 27thJune 1749, Count Tarasconiwrote to Corsini at the beginningof the text. and Bottari:'... [n]onso,sefossemegliovolendoporviin Napoli, invece diporvi1749, ilporvi 'Vasimovedinto the PalazzoFarnesein November 1748 aftersecuringlodgingthere 1747, o 48; dicoquestopernonfarcomparire alMondod'esserenoistatidueanni,epitioccupati with assistance from Bottari and Corsini (see below, and BCR, Cors. 44 E 21, allastampadi questolibro.. .' (BCR, Cors. 32 D 19, fol.81r). fol.234r).The plateswere printedin the palacebecauseit was decidedthat theywere 3Narrazione delleSolenni Realifestefatte in NapolidaSuaMaestdil Re diDueSicilie, celebrare too large and cumbersometo be moved out of Vasi'sworkshop.The text of the book Infantedi Spagna,DucadiParma,Piacenza,etc.etc.,perlanascitadelprimogenitoFilippo,Real was alsoprintedin Rome (ibid.,fol.257r).See also fols.297rand 309v for a discussion PrincipedelleDueSicilie,Naples [1749]. about listingNaples as the place of publicationon the title page. 412 REJECTING PIRANESI tari in the Biblioteca Corsiniana in Rome provides a highly requiring much work; the plate will be large. He asked me detailed record of the creation of this book. Arrangements for one hundred fifty Roman scudiexcluding the plate. He between Bottari and the engravers, disagreements over costs, told me that he would also do another and the one best the number of proofs required of each engraver, stipulations suited for him would be the macchinadelfuocoseen in per- about the general appearance of the book, information about spective. He would like to do another ... but if he has to paper and a host of other matters pepper the exchanges make only one for this price, he will do it as a favour to me; between the parties involved. One of Bottari's greatest prob- he did not care about the rest. lems, apart from the delays caused by the engravers and the Corsini enthusiastically agreed that Piranesi should be paper, was that each print, in addition to being endorsed by given two other drawings (Letter 4), and Bottari assigned him Re, had to be approved in Naples by Tarasconi Smeraldi those for the Serenatain the Teatro di San Carlo and the fire- who, Bottari felt, knew little about art and even less about works display, also supplying the copper plates. engraving. 1 This issue was a central theme of Bottari's letters A month later, on 9th August 1748, a copy of the proof of to Corsini and had considerable consequences for Piranesi's the Cuccagnawas finally sent to Naples for approval (Letter 5). work on the project. The last word belonged to the king and Corsini and Tarasconi both expressed immediate dissatisfac- queen themselves, and their negative view of Piranesi's work tion with the work. Bottari wrote to Corsini a few days later led to its ultimate rejection. Piranesi's name appears in one of the first letters Bottari (on 16th August, Letter 6), attempting to justify in advance sent to Corsini about the project, dated 1stJuly 1748 (see the any poor impression that Piranesi's print might make. He emphasised the mediocre quality of the drawing that had Appendix below, Letter 1). been provided for Piranesi, writing: The duke [Filippo Corsini] gave me the memorandum Piranesi has had the misfortune of having the worst draw- that Your Excellency sent to him and I too in re-reading the letter from Count Tarasconi have found which the ing; in fact, to be frank with Your Excellency, it is so extremely bad that it cannot possibly be from the same drawing is that you and the Count want to be given to hand as the others. If he [Piranesi] had wanted to, or had Signor Piranesi. The reason I have not given him anything had the opportunity to decide for himself, the result would is because I first want to see the proof of the Cuccagna, have been far superior, because he draws very well indeed, although I am sure that he will do well. as you will see from a work he is presently creating on the The CuccagnaPiranesi was engraving was a vedutaof a antiquities of Rome, of which the first volume will soon uniquely Neapolitan kind of ephemeral structure used for come out. important state occasions. It typically included a castle that Bottari's criticism of Re's Cuccagnadrawing was not new; in was, as we read in an eighteenth-century description, 'built his letter of 9thJuly 1748 to Corsini (Letter 3), he had already according to the rules of fortification, and faced all over with complained of its poor quality, which was apparent even to pieces of beef, bacon, hams, geese, turkeys and other provi- non cognoscenti. Much later, on 12th November (Letter 15), he sions, with which the imaginary country of Cockaigne is said gave a detailed description of the poor reception the drawing to abound'." Wine gushed from fountains flanking the had received when it arrived: Cuccagnaand soldiers guarded the display until the king gave the signal for the populace to begin its assault. The Cuccagna ... when I unrolled the drawing of the Cuccagna,Signor for Filippo's birth, set up in front of the Palazzo Reale, was Zobole and two other painters were present, and these two particularly lavish (Fig.10). The two paths that wound were practised in engraving on copper, and one had through the fictive sloping landscape to a four-storey Chi- engraved a lot, and asked me what it was. I, so as not to tell noiserie pagoda at the centre of the structure were loaded him precisely, responded that it was something that had to with live kids, oxen, pigs, goats, pigeons, and roosters.'2 The be engraved, and everyone looked at the drawing, and central axis of the display was replete with 'lardo,pancetta,pre- concluded that little honour would be possible for the one sutti, cacciavalli,caciocottovecchio,pane, supressate, galline,papere, into whose hands this drawing came, no matter how good galli d'India'.3Next to the wine fountains, cascades of water he was. Truly all the other drawings have been incompa- fed small ponds filled with live fish. Two sets of clothing fin- rably better, nor do I know why this one is so bad. I say this ished with gold embroidery fluttered high above the lard because I do not know whether even Vasi will do himself as parterre on greased poles, to be won by agile climbers. much honour with this as with the others. The Count says Having been selected by Bottari to work on the image of in his note that the engraver should follow the drawing, the Cuccagna,'4the young Piranesi set about engraving the that if the result is bad, it will be blamed on the inventor. plate but apparently had some difficulty with his first attempt. But one who copies a bad painting, makes another bad Bottari wrote to Corsini on 9thJuly (Letter 3): painting; because in this drawing there is no harmony, I continue to press for the cuccagnabut Piranesi, who is neither in the foreground or the background, that moun- tain has no form, and the shadows are more like spots than engraving it, told me that he has not been well and that therefore the work is behind schedule. I showed him the anything else. drawing of the stage for the Serenata,where there is a lot Bottari was critical of Re's designs for several reasons. The of detail (frappa),and an elaborate temple in the middle drawings were all different sizes, so that if they were copied "Tarasconi, who is frequently referred to by Bottari as 'Sig. ConteTarrasconida me sem- 2F. MANCINI:FesteedApparaticivili e religiosia Napoli . ., Naples [1968], p.58. pre reverito',came from a noble family from Parma which had served the Farnese '3Ibid. court. The family was given the feudal territory of Berceto or Bergetto by Carlo 4Bysummer 1748, Tarasconiallowed Bottarito choose the engraversfor the final Bourbon (G.B. JANELLI: Dizionario biograficodei Parmigiani illustri, Genoa [1978], plates of the book, hoping that he 'nonvorrdscegliere alcunFrancese' (BCR, Cors. 33 C pp.431-32). 9, fol.244r,Tarasconito BartolomeoCorsini, 7thJuly 1748). ]sH. ACTON:The Bourbonsof Naples, 2nd ed., London [1998], p.45. 413 REJECTING PIRANESI truly bad: tell Vincenzo Re to compare it with his drawing, and he will see that, among other things, there is neither NARRAZIONE foreground nor background.' I ask your Excellency there- fore to send it back to him together with the original in DELLESOLENNIREALIFESTE order to get him to fix it, re-inforcing the foreground slight- ly and softening the background, adjusting the branches, FATTE CELEBRARE IN NAPOLI which one absolutely cannot believe were done by Pirane- DA SUA MAESTA' si, and recommending various other things with the burin ... so that this drawing can still win applause, as those by IL RE DELLE DUE SICILIE Vasi have. CARLO INFANTE DI SPAGNA Tarasconi added: DUCA DI PARMA, PIACENZA&c. &c. Forgive me ... for this disturbance, and please allow me to repeat as justification for having proposed it, that the book PER LA NASCITA he [Piranesi] published, and which has been universally DEL SUO PRIMOGENITO praised, is the reason (along with the opinion of other knowledgeable people) that impelled me to suggest him, so FILIPPO REAL PRINCIPE that it has to be said that either the book is not his, or that DELLE DUE SICILIEA he has had the drawing engraved by one of his students. Tarasconi went on to suggest that, as Piranesi was sup- posed to have been a pupil of Vasi's, the latter might reason- ably be consulted about the adjustments without Piranesi losing face. In a letter dated just three days later (20th August, Letter 8), Bottari attempted to re-assure Corsini about the plate's status. I have a letter from Your Excellency with the note from Count Tarasconi inside which I will show to Piranesi and I think that he will re-work the plate to the taste of the designer [Re]. In my last letter, I responded almost IN NAPOLI CIDIDCCXXXXVIIII prophetically to the suspicion, that has now befallen the Count, that this is not an engraving by Piranesi, but by one of his pupils. As I have said, the defect came from the draw- 9. Title page of the Jfarrazione inNapoli..., Naples ing, which is not of the same taste as the others, and the dellasolenniRealifestefatte celebrare [1749]. (Departmentof Rare Booksand Special Collections,PrincetonUniversity engraver's only fault was in engraving the plate too deeply. Library). Bottari again blamed the drawing for the poor quality of the engraving and continued: He [Piranesi] had initially taken a few liberties, but after faithfully the illustrations would be inconsistent in their hearing the great tumult caused by the French, with whom dimensions. Bottari also felt that Re's contributions were he is great friends, he re-cleaned the plate, and started drawn in such a way as to make it very difficult to translate again from scratch. And though I said many times that it them literally into engravings, writing that he was evidently was the essential and important changes that caused prob- less good at drawing than in invention and execution (Letter lems not the improvements, he kept on fearfully repeating: 3).'5But, while he complained repeatedly about the quality of 'I do not want any trouble.' In any case, he has no pupils the drawings submitted to the engravers, he singled out the or helpers, and he does everything himself. one assigned to Piranesi as the worst and suggested that The trouble with the French that Bottari mentions refers to Piranesi could improve upon the drawing himself. the disputes withJardin and Le Lorrain,"'whose plates had Meanwhile, Tarasconi was having strong doubts about the been rejected in Naples and sent back for re-working (see Let- autograph status of Piranesi's plate, just as Bottari was dubi- ter 2, 2nd July). Corsini had been enraged after receiving ous about the authenticity of the drawing. In a letter he sent their original proofs and accused the Frenchmen of simply to Corsini from the royal villa at Portici on 17th August (Let- ter 7) accompanied by the drawing and Piranesi's proof, he copying engravings created for a book issued to celebrate the wedding of Carlo's brother, don Filippo, to Louis XV's expressed his own reservations about whether the plate had in fact been engraved by Piranesi, and reported the king and daughter, Louise-Elisabeth, in 1739.'7 They were also criti- cised for not following Re's drawings closely enough and, queen's criticisms of its quality: although they surely must have claimed that they had Having presented it last night to His Majesty, and after improved on Re's unsuitable drawings, when faced with the having considered it together with the Queen . . His prospect of having their plates rejected completely, they Majesty said to me these precise words: 'This engraving is agreed to re-work them. It is likely that when Piranesi showed ' At one point in the sameletterBottarideclaresthat even 'ipiedide'tavolini dellecamere Cors. 44 E 21, fol.204v,30th August 1748). di V.E.'are capableof discerningthat the defectsin the printscome from the draw- 7Thebook referredto in this letter,the Description donnees desfestes parla villedeParisa ings themselves. l'occasion du marriagedemadame deFrance,et de domPhilippe. .., Paris Louise-Elisabeth "'Bottarirefersto engravingsby Le LorrainandJardin as by the 'Franzesi' (BCR, [1740], containedlarge engravingsbyJacques-FrancoisBlondel(1705-74). 414 REJECTING PIRANESI 10.Cuccagnaa dlRl o,byG e Vi ar ad g byV, o Re.1 , 10. Cuccagnapostasula PiazzadelRealPalazzo,by GiuseppeVasiaftera drawingby Vincenzo Re. 1748-49. Engraving,44.7 by 70 cm. (Departmentof Rare Booksand Special Collections,PrincetonUniversityLibrary). them his first plate with its 'liberties', they advised him to re- are pulled, the plates get lighter. So if they are made light work it to correspond more closely to the drawing. From this to start with, after a lot of copies are pulled, they will be too discussion, and Bottari's protestations, we also learn that, light. The same thing goes for Piranesi's plate. When the unlike Vasi, Piranesi did not use assistants at this date. granpersonaggi discuss such things, more often than not they Bottari returns to Piranesi's work again at the close of this use other people's expressions, especially when they use letter of 20th August, saying, terms of art like 'there is no foreground or background'. It is certain that the engraving by Piranesi has nothing to Just a little bit of knowledge helps one understand the very notable difference between the drawing of the Cuccagna do with his other works, and is very inferior. But he has assigned to Piranesi and the ones engraved by Vasi and by complained to me twenty times that he was given such a the French, and it is almost impossible that they could be poor drawing, and I gave it to him deliberately, knowing from the same hand. When M. Picart engraved Le Gemme that he had the capacity to improve it, and he would have with the author's name, they sent him the badly done done so, if he had not had this inopportune delay. It is also true that the proof he sent was badly pulled, but it was the drawings by Cavalier Odam but, being the best engraver in all of Europe, he improved them to his own good taste.'H first one and the others will be better, but nonetheless I will Because of this, he had continual complaints from Cav. insist that Piranesi go over the whole plate again with the Odam. Finally, overcome by exasperation, he engraved burin. some prints straight from the drawings, and compared Bottari adds that while he does not believe that Piranesi was with the first ones they look as though they were made with actually Vasi's pupil, 'it is certain that he engraves at least as a kitchen broom, and those who do not know the whole well'. story can not understand how Picart made such awful Bottari continued to attempt to justify Piranesi's engraving plates. The same thing has happened to Piranesi. Fear of in his letters, writing on 27th August (Letter 9): discord has compelled him to stick too closely to the draw- If it seems too dark, it has to be remembered that to make ing. The unfortunate thing is that the blame has been laid not on the drawing, but on the plate. the stage stand out it was necessary to make the pit and the theatre dark, and also that after a hundred or more copies On 3rd September (Letter 10), Bottari was able to tell '"Bottari is referringto the engravingsBernardPicart(1673-1733) createdforBaron seinsqu'onlui en a donne'(p.V). Picart copied fifty of the seventyplates in the book Philippvon Stosch'sPierres gravees..., Amsterdam[1724]. A footnotein the antiques directlyfrom the drawingsOdam providedand made the remainingtwentyplates introductionstatesthat all the engravingsmarkedwith a star 'sontcellesdontona com- from drawingshe himselfimproved. muniquelesPdtesoulesEmpreintes a Bernard Picart;pourlesautres, il a suiviexactement lesdes- 415 REJECTING PIRANESI sini's enquiry about the fee, Bottari responded on 22nd ;-- i t?;.. :: ?;: October: 'Piranesi was paid, but one hundred scudias part of :. :: ?:?.?;-? ? zfiiiZLlflL.- ?II .-..-?3r- a project this expensive is nothing.'" ?T ------..= Bottari continued to champion Piranesi, writing to Corsi- ni on 25th October (Letter 14) after the second rejection of the plate: With today's mail, I have taken the liberty of sending Your Excellency the first volume of the antiquities drawn and engraved by Piranesi, from which I think that it is evident that the man is talented, and this has been recognised there too [i.e. in Naples], and the only doubt that remained was whether the plate was worked by him - which demon- strates that they had a high opinion of this youth. But I assure you on this account, because I have been to his house in person many, many times. However, sending Piranesi's Alcune Vedutedi ArchiTrionfali (1748) to Corsini did not have the desired effect.' Just over two months later (Letter 18), Corsini replied that he had already seen Piranesi's book and liked it, but the experts in Naples said that not all the engravings were of equally high quality. Piranesi's name does not appear again in Bottari's letters and the Jarrazionewas printed late in 1749 without any large- scale engravings by the young artist in it. Vasi had by late November 1748 been shown the Cuccagnadrawing, along with the other two that Piranesi was supposed to engrave, the Macchinadelfuocoand the Serenata,and had agreed to engrave it for the book (see Letter 16, 2nd December). Vasi had in the meantime had an exchange of letters with Vincenzo Re, 11. Portrait of Giovanni BattistaPiranesi, by FelicePolanzani.1750. Engraving,37.3 by who had heard that his drawing was not liked in Rome, and 27.8 cm. (BibliotecaCorsiniana,Rome). it seemed that they had come to an understanding to ensure that the print would be satisfactory. Vasi was also given the stripped copper plate that Piranesi had used to make his Corsini that he now had Piranesi's re-worked plate and that engraving.21However, the problems with the Cuccagna did not he was satisfied with it: 'I had the proof by Piranesi of the end here, and Vasi's own engraving was rejected at least once. Cuccagnaand he has re-worked the plate. I hope that it will Vasi had another motive for devoting so much of his time give satisfaction, and if they compare it with the drawing, to the Narrazioneproject and to engraving Vincenzo Re's anyone can see how much grander and better it is.' Corsini inept drawings. He was seeking to curry favour with the approved this second attempt in late September and within Neapolitan court so that he could secure lodging and work days the plate was sent off to the person who was to engrave space in the Palazzo Farnese in Rome. Vasi's ambition could the text on it, and Piranesi was paid one hundred scudi(Let- not have come at a more inopportune time. All of the resi- ter 11, 29th September). Approval, however, was short lived. dents of the 'Ghetto Farnese', as the palace had become On 15th October, Tarasconi wrote to Corsini to tell him that known, had been thrown out by the Spanish ambassador to he had presented Piranesi's re-worked proof to the king and the Holy See, Duke of Cerisano, at exactly the time Bar- queen at lunch that day only to have them turn it down (Let- tolomeo Corsini and Bottari were trying to secure quarters ter 13). Although Tarasconi suggested alternatives to the for Vasi. After more than a year of bureaucratic wrangling royal couple, such as giving the plate back to Piranesi to have and lengthy appeals to Count Tarasconi, Vasi was finally him start again from scratch: 'I received no other response installed in the palace in May 1749 and began to print the except this: that Vasi should re-engrave it, because this Narrazioneplates there that month.22The waiting period was absolutely must not be put in the book.' The order to pay a tense interval for everyone involved in the project. At a low Piranesi had of course already been given, and Tarasconi point in January 1749, Vasi included a portrait of Count added: 'If Piranesi has been paid, we must be patient; if not, Tarasconi in his plate of the Teatroda Ballo. Whether he was one could attempt not to pay him in full'; at all events the cost attempting to flatter or provoke the Count, he represented of the plate itself would be reimbursed. In response to Cor- him in a way that Tarasconi did not find complimentary,3" '"BCR,44 D 34, fol.100r,Bottarito BartolomeoCorsini,22nd October 1748. 22BCR,44 E 21, fol.283v,Bottarito BartolomeoCorsini, 13thMay 1749. Although '"Publishedwith the titleAntichita Romane de'Tempi dellaRepubblica, e de'primiimperatori, Vasibegan to printthe platesin May,printingwas stillgoing on in November1749. this volume is more commonlyknownas the AlcuneVedute the title it diArchiTrionfali, 2'Tarasconiwrote to Bottariaskingthat 'quellafigurapiugrassa',the figurehe recog- was publishedunder after 1765. The volume was dedicatedto Bottari. nised as himself,wearingthe sash of San Gennaro,be removed(BCR, Cors. 32 D 2'BCR,Cors. 44 E 21, fol.194v,Bottarito BartolomeoCorsini,2nd December 1748 19, fol.16r,30thJanuary1749).At thispoint, the negotiationsfor housingforVasiin (anotherextractin Letter 16).Vasiaskedfor 300 scudito engravethe Serenataand the the PalazzoFarnesehad completelystalledand Bottari,clearlyfrustrated,was try- Cuccagna (ibid.,fol.240r, Bottari to Bartolomeo Corsini, 22nd December 1748; ing to find space for him in the 'casinoallaLungara', the Farnesina(ibid.,fol.7r,Bar- anotherextractin Letter 17). tolomeo Corsinito Bottari,14thJanuary1749). 416 REJECTING PIRANESI and the figure did not appear in the final engraving. Vasi was apparently so driven to complete the work on the Narrazione and to present himself as a willing servant to the King of Two Sicilies that his other projects suffered. On 4th March 1749, Bottari wrote to Corsini (Letter 19) that Vasi was working on his Romaanticae moderna,of which the second and third vol- umes would probably already have been published, if it had not been for the engraving of 'these feste'. His efforts were finally rewarded when, after the completion of the Narrazione, he was made official engraver to the Bourbon court and given a pension. The discussions of Piranesi's rejected plate for the Nar- razioneprovide some new insights into his early career. In September 1747 Piranesi had returned to Rome from Venice after an absence of just over two years. Determined to make a career for himself, he must immediately have begun to look for work. He completed projects begun during his earlier sojourn in Rome and launched into new work with consider- able tenacity. The plan of Rome that he helped Giovanni Battista Nolli to engrave came out soon after he returned.24 During the autumn of 1747, he began working on his own independent designs such as the Vedute di Romaseries and the AntichitaRomane.Working for a Venetian-based print seller on the Corso across from the French Academy, it is clear from the Narrazionecorrespondence that he was closely connected to the French pensionnaires.His involvement with the book project also demonstrates that he was prepared to work as an engraver for hire, juggling his own independent work with other projects undoubtedly taken on to make money. How- ever, the problems Piranesi had with his Neapolitan patrons while working on the Narrazionemay have furthered his resolve to be his own publisher. Despite the difficulties and ultimate rejection that Piranesi encountered working on this project, the letters make it clear of Giovanni 12. Portrait Bottari,by Domenico Campiglia.c. 1745. Penciland Gaetano white chalk,42.7 by 28.4 cm. (GabinettoNazionaledelle Stampee dei disegni, that the young artist's work was already appreciated at this Rome). early stage. The 'experts' at Carlo's court already knew Piranesi's work and recognised his talent: in fact they felt he was too good an engraver to have done such a bad plate as letters an instructive source of information on engraving and the Cuccagna.Indeed the correspondence reveals a certain librarianship.26 preoccupation with autograph quality: both Bottari and Bottari's statement that Piranesi had no 'aiutantfor 'scolari' Corsini accuse each other of sending poor work that does not helping him with his work at this time is also notable. Pirane- look like the hand of the master concerned. Re's drawings si's meteoric rise from the status of a single engraver working were lambasted by Bottari and a series of artists and alone to a wealthy man managing a complex and busy shop engravers in Rome while Tarasconi and Re clearly were remains relatively uncharted. However, Piranesi's prolific heavily critical of all the proofs sent from Rome. However, output - Joseph Connors's recent calculations suggest he Bottari was the only person involved in the project who would have had to create 2.3 prints a month throughout his had commissioned engravings for books before and as such working life to reach the extraordinary number of engravings he was really the sole individual supervising the scheme with that compose his euvre- was, at least up until 1749 when the any expertise.2'His attempts to focus Corsini and Tarasconi's Narrazionewas completed, the result of his own burin.27 attentions on practical matters such as the size and quality of Piranesi's years in Rome immediately following his return the paper, the amount of ink needed to complete the printing, from Venice in 1747 were transformative ones. In a very the prices and quality of printers who specialised in printing short period of time he became a well-to-do entrepreneur texts rather than images in Rome, how to store books as large running an international business which engaged in engrav- as the one they were creating and other concerns, make his ing, archaeology, and the restoration of antique sculptures. "'Piranesibegan collaboratingwith Nolli on the plan in 1741. See M. BEVILACQUA: patria":Neri Corsini,il "MuseoFiorentino"e la fondazionedei Musei Capitolini', Roma nel Secolodei Lumi:Architettura,erudizione,scienza nella Pianta di G.B. Nolli 'celebre delLazio,IX [1998], pp.135-44. Bottariapparentlyhad a printingpress RivistaStorica geometra' Naples [1998], esp. pp.84-87. in his house adjacentto the PalazzoCorsiniin Rome;he remindsBartolomeoCor- 2By the time he workedon the JNarrazioneproject,Bottarihad, in his own estimation, sini in a 1748 letter that his edition of Bosio'sRomasotterranea, Rome [1737], had thirty years' experiencewith printing books (BCR, Cors. 44 E 21, fols.256v-57r, been printed'sottoi mieiocchi'in his roomsat home (BCR,Cors.44 D 34, fol.97v,6th Bottarito BartolomeoCorsini,7th February1749).The firstengravingBottaricom- October 1748). missionedfor a book was the colophonof the new editionof the Vocabolario degliAcca- 2'SeeLetter20. Bottari'scommentsabout how to storeand handlebooksof this size demici dellaCrusca, Florence[1729-38], whichhe edited.His lavishlyillustratedMuseo providefascinatinginsightsinto how these bookswere used by theirowners. capitolino,4 vols., Rome [1741-82], which he began in 1734, is consideredto be the "j. CONNORS: review of GiovanniBattistaPiranesi:The CompleteEtchings,Journalof theSoci- first scientific,modern museum catalogue;see E. KIEVEN: "'Trattandosiillustrarla etyofArchitectural Historians,LVIII,no.2 [June1999], p.223. 417 REJECTING PIRANESI An exact chartingof his activityat this period remainsto be 3. Bottari in Rome to Corsini in Naples, 9thJuly 1748 (BCR, Cors. 44 E 21, worked out, and Piranesi'srelationshipswith patrons, anti- fols.204v-05v) quarians,publishers,and otherengraversin Rome duringhis Del restoper quiete del Sig. Conte Tarrasconipu6 V Ecc.za dirgli,che il lavorosara earlyyearsin the city is shadowy.28His workon the Narrazione buono, e poi confidentementedico a VE. che di questidisegnice ne sono de' buoni, ma ce ne e cattiviassai,come e quellodella Cuccagna,che lo conosce,anche chi non provides further evidence of his connexion with two of his se n'intende.Ma 1'Architettosara bravo nell'invenzione,e nell'eseguire,e non nel most dedicatedsponsors.Bottariand the Corsinifamilypro- disegnare... lo vado sollecitandodetta Cuccagna,ma il Piranesiche l'intaglia,mi vided intense supportfor the young engraver,datingback to ha detto d'esserestatopoco bene, e che perci6il lavoroe indietro.Gli ho fattovedere il disegno della Scena per la Serenata,dove e molta frappa,e un tempio nel mezzo Piranesi'searliestdays in Rome; in a letter dated 29th May con molto lavoro;e il rame verragrande.Egli me ne ha chiesto scudi cencinquanta 1744, Piranesiwritesfrom Venice to thankBottarifor all his Romani senza voler pensareal rame. Mi ha detto, che ne farebbeanche un altro,e assistanceduring his stay in the papal city.29He dedicated il piu adattato per lui sarebbe la macchina del fuoco veduta in prospettiva.Ne vorebbeun altro,perche a fame un solo per scudi 150, non gli mette conto, e vera- threeworks,spreadthroughouthis career,to Bottari.He also mente se ne dovrAfareun solo per questoprezzo,lo farain graziamia, del restonon presentedcopies of his work to the Corsinilibraryand used se ne curava.I1 Polanzaninon l'ho per anco potuto vedere me ne far6 diligenza. Bottari'sRoman editorsand publishers,the Pagliarinibroth- Mando qui inclusa a VE. la nota richiestami.Metto in considerazionea V Ecc.za, che quando io dessi un rame a Polanzaniaccordandosicosta col prezzo, che e per ers, earlyin his career.In 1753, Piranesimarriedthe daugh- chiedermi,e dandomi due a Piranesi,tuttaviame ne rimarrauna, il quale se stime- ter of the Corsini's head gardener at a ceremony at the ranno bene, potrei contrattarecon Vasi, che tra 15 giorni avra terminato il suo Corsinivilla on theJaniculum.His wife'sdowrywas to play lavoro. a crucialfinancialrole in the founding of his own press and 4. Bottari in Rome to Corsini in Naples, 16thJuly 1748 (BCR, Cors. 33 C 9, shop. fol.254r) Mi pare ottima la disposizionedi dare a Piranesidue disegni, uno a Polanzani,ed altroa Vasi ... 28Themost detailedexaminationof this period to date is in G. BRUNEL: 'Recherches surles debutsde Piranesea Rome:les freresPagliariniet Nicola Giobbe', in Piranese 5. Bottari in Rome to Corsini in Naples, 9th August 1748 (BCR, Cors. 44 E etlesfranfais,ed. G. BRUNEL, Paris [1978], pp.77-146. 21, fol.212v) 29BCR,Cors. 32 G 10, fol.1lOr. Ho consegnatoal S. Giuseppedella Postadi Napoli uno de' due cannoni di latta con entrovila prova,e il disegno della Cuccagna intagliatadal Piranesi... Appendix 6. Bottari in Rome to Corsini in Naples, 16th August 1748 (BCR, Cors. 44 E 21, fol.216r-v) Letters concerning the engravings for the 'Narrazione delle Solenni Reali feste' Del resto anche Gregori e un bravo bulino, e forse il meglio d'Italia;quando ha buoni disegni, perche questo e necessario,perche gl'intagliatorisi facciano onore. 1. Giovanni Gaetano Bottari in Rome to Bartolomeo Corsini in Naples, Nel che ha avuto disgraziail Piranesiche ha avuto il peggio disegno, anzi per dirla lstJuly 1748 (Rome,BibliotecaCorsiniana,hereaftercited as BCR, Cors. 44 E 21, a VE. molto, ma molto cattivo,e non pu6 essere,che sia della stessamano di chi ha fol.202r-v) fatto gli altri. Se egli avessevoluto o potuto arbitrare,l'avrebbefatto molto meglio, perche e capace di disegnareassaibene da se; come si vedra di un opera che ha per Furono da me i Franzesi,e ripreseroil noto rame per rifarela cartella,come il di- le mani delle antichitadi Roma da cui uscirafuori il primo tomo. segno;il che si pu6 farefacilmentecome mi disseil V Campiglia.Questo e seguito, percheil Sig. Conte Gazzoladeve averscrittoa M. de Troychiaramentei sentimenti 7. Raffaello Tarasconi Smeraldi in Portici to Corsini in Naples, 17th dell'Architetto.Bisognerebbeadesso, che VEcc.za procurassed'intenderedal Sig. August 1748 (BCR, Cors. 33 C 9, fols.288r-89v) Conte Tarrasconi,se abbia veduto la prova del Castel Nuovo illuminato,perch& questi Sri. Franzesidicono aver mandata costa detta prova, e che credono, che sia ... avendoloio ieri serapresentatoa S.M., dopo averloconsideratounitamentecolla piaciuta. Se non l'ha veduta, e facile il farselamostraredal medesimo Sig. Conte M.tAdella Regina, e di S.E. il Sigre Mse Fogliani,mi dissela M.S. le preciseparole: Gazzola. In questo rame non hanno fattamutazione,se non ne' figurini,come vide Questo intaglioe verramente cattivo, conil suodisegno, Re,cheloconfronti dire2 Vincenzo e vedri, V Ecc.za il che pu6 essere,che non dia noia all'Architetto,il quale forseper far piu chefra'lealtrecose,nonvi eavanti,neindietro. Pregodunque VE. a rilemandarglielouni- presto avra fatto fare ad altri le dette figurine. Quando questi stieno a modo tamente coll'originaleacci6 procuridi accommodarlo,rinforzandoin poco d'avan- dell'Architettoi ramisarannocompiti,perchemi hanno gia riportatala pianta della ti, ed intenerendol'indietro,aggiustandole frascheche assolutamentenon possonsi macchinadel fuoco, ritocca,come avevaaccennatoil prefatoArchitetto.Alora poi, crederefattedal Piranesi,e raccommandandovarie altrecose col Bolino, se occurre se si vorraprocedereal pagamento,secondo il pattuito,si dovradar loro scudi 230. acciocche questo disegno ancorapossa averel'applauso,che hanno avuto quelli del Ebbi dal Sig. Duca quella memoria, che gli lasci6 V Ecc.za ed io pure nel rileggere Vasi ... PerdoniVE. il disturbo,e mi permetta, che le dica ancoraper mia giustifi- la letteradel F Conte Tarrasconiho trovatoquale e il disegno,che vorebbero,che si cazione d'averloproposto,che il Libroda lui stampato,e che e statouniversalmente desse al S. Piranesi;al quale per altro non ho [dato] di niente, perch&voglio prima applaudito,e quello, che mi mosse, col parere d'altriIntelligenti,a proporlo;onde vedere la provadella Cuccagna, quantunqueio sia sicuro,che fara bene. Fratanto convien dire, 6 che quel Libro non e Suo, 6 che Egli ha fatto incidereil disegno da Vasiterminerail lavorocommessogli,che so esseremolto avanti,e che versola meta qualchedunode'suoi scolari.Mi vien supposto,che Egli sia stato scolaro del Vasi, di questo mese avraterminato. onde crederei,che Egli non ci perderebbepunto di Sua Stima Aconsultarsicol Vasi per accommodarloa dovere;I1disegno per altro e efatto,cosi fosse dilligentemente 2. Bartolomeo Corsini in Naples to Filippo Corsini ?in Rome, 2ndJuly inciso. 1748 (BCR, Cors. 2483 bis, unfoliated) 8. Bottari in Rome to Corsini in Naples, 20th August 1748 (BCR, Cors. 44 E Dite a Mons. Bottaricol rivenirloin mio nome, che il Conte Gazzuolaha scrittodi 21, fol.218v) buono inchiostroa nostri Franzesi,essendosiritrovato,che i loro lavorivariatanei nostrirami sono staticopiatidalle stampeFrancesidelle Festeche cola vi fecero per Ricevo in questo punto una veneratissimadi VE. con entrovi in viglietto del Sig. le nozze dell'Infanted. Filippo,onde gli dica risolutamente,che se loro vorrennoa Conte Tarrasconimio Sig.reil qual vigliettomostrer6al Piranesi,e credo che ridur- trattarsia fare i lavoriinteramentesimili a i disegniinviatigli, si prenderenno,e gli ra il rame a gusto di codesto disegnatore.Gia presentivamentenell'ultimamia io si pagherail prezzopattuito,altrimenti,che rendinoi disegni,i ramigia da essimala- avevorispostaquasiprofeticamenteal sospetto,ch'e cadutonel Sig.Conte, che ques- mente intagliatiper cancellargli,acciocche mai ne rimangail vestigio,ed il denaro, ta non sia intaglio del Piranesi,ma d'un suo scolare,con aver io detto, che il difetto se a sorte ne avesseroricevuto,e se a tutto questo, o a parte di esso ripugnassero, veniva del disegno,che non e del medesimogusto degli altri,e che solo ha mancato ricorreteefficamente,al direttoredell' Accademia di Francia,o a Mons. di Canil- l'intagliatorenello strartroppo ad esso attaccatosul principio s'era preso qualche lach, e se cid non servisse,avvisatemelo,acciocche si possa di qua fare scriveredi liberta,ma sentendoi romorigrandiche avevanoavutii Franzesi,de' quali e amico, Ufficio,acci6 retinopastigati,e obbligatia mettersialla ragionedi disegniultimi,che ripuliil rame, e cominci6 da capo, e per quanto io abbia piu volte predicato,che le di qua vennero,dite al pred.o Mons, che quello dove ci e molto frappane concertiil mutazioniessenziali,e notabilierano quelle,che davanonoia, e non i miglioramen- prezzo con Piranesi,e quello dove si deve fareil cambiamentode'Cappriciin Paruc- ti, sempremi ripetevaveramenteimpaurito:io non voglio romori.Del restoegli non che (per6in parte, e non in tutto)lo concerticoll'altrodel qualchenon mi ricordoil ha ne scolari,ne aiuti,e fa tutto da se. Anzi per dirlaa VE. il Vasisi fa aiutare,benche nome, ma di cui si mand6 qua una stampa assieme con quella di Faldoni, e che a me non lo dica ... Certo e che l'intagliodel Piranesinon ha che farecon l'altresue piacque piu di quella di questo, e mi avvisinodi tutto per la piu sollecitaspedizione opere, ed e molto inferiore.Ma egli per venti volte si e lamentatomeco, che gli fosse di questo affare. toccato un disegnocosi infelice,e io l'avevodato a lui a posta sapendoch'eracapace 418 REJECTING PIRANESI di megliorarlo,e l'avrebbefatto, se non gli entravaaddosso questa inopportuna apparisca,che l'uomo e bravo,e tale anche l'hanno riputatocosta, ma solo cadde il pausa. Veroe che anche la provamandatacosta era tiratamale, ed era la prima che dubbio, se il rame era lavoratoda lui, il che mostra che avevano gran concetto di l'altresarannomeglio ma non e per6, che io non insista,percheil Piranesinon ripas- questo giovane.Ma di questo gli assicuroio, perche mi son portatoin personaa casa si sotto il bulino tutto il rame. Io non credo, che egli sia stato scolare di Vasi, ma e sua piti, e piu volte. certo, che intagliabene almeno quanto lui. 15. Bottari in Rome to Corsini in Naples, 12th November 1748 (BCR, Cors 9. Bottari in Rome to Corsini in Naples, 27th August 1748 (BCR, Cors. 44 E 44 E 21, fol.235r-v) 21, fols.222v-23v) Parlandopoi con V ecc.za le dico, che quando svoltaiil disegno della Cuccagna, Se paresse troppo scura, bisogna considerare,che a volere, che facesse spicco il c'era presenteil S. Zobole, e dua altripittori, e questi due erano pratichissimidell' palco, era necessarioil farela platea, e il teatrooscuro,e che i rami dopo, che ne sono intagliarein rame, e uno avevaintagliatomolto, e domandomi,che cosa era, io per tiraticento o poco piu schiariscono,e se si fanno chiaria principio,tirandonemolti, non dirgliil preciso,risposi,che era una cosa, che si dovevaintagliare,e tutti senza vengono poi sbiancati,e lo stessovale pel rame del Piranesi.I gran personaggiquan- aver gran fatto guardatoil disegno, soggiunsero,che poco onore si sarebbepotuto do parlanodi questecose, per lo piu parlanoper bocca d'altriparticolarmentequan- fare colui, alle cui mani fossevenuto quel disegno quanto mai bravoegli fosse.Vera- do usano termini dell'arte,come il non v'esserel'innanzi, e l'indietro.Ogni piccola mente tutti gli altri disegni sono stati meglio senza comparazione, ne so perche cognizione serveper conoscerela notabilissimadifferenza,che e dal disegno della questo sia tanto infelice.Dico ci6, percheanche il Vasinon so, se si faraonore, quan- Cuccagna, che tocc6 al Piranesi, dagli altri intagliatida Vasi, e da Franzesi;ed e to negli altri. II S. Conte dice in un suo viglietto, che lo intagliatoreseguitiil diseg- quasi impossibile che siano d'una stessa mano. Quando M. Piccard intagli6 le no, che se saracattivo,sarabiasimodell' inventore.Ma chi copia un quadrocattivo, Gemme col nome dell'autoregli mandavano i disegni fatti molto male dal Cav. fa un altro quadrocattivo;perche in questo disegno non ci e accordo,ne l'innanzi, Odam, ma egli ch'era il primo bulino d'Europa,gli riducevaal suo buon gusto. Di ne l'indietro,e quel monte non ha forma, e l'ombre sono piuttosto macchie, che qua avevasempredelle doglianze,che provenivanodal detto Cav.Odam. Egli vinto altro. dallanoia ne intagli6alcunesecondo il disegno,che appettoall'altrepaiano fattecon la scopa, e chi non sa questastoria,non capisce,come Piccardabbiafatto rami cosi 16. Bottari in Rome to Corsini in Naples, 2nd December 1748 (BCR, Cors. scellerati.Lo stessoe awenuto al Piranesi.La paura d'averde'romoril'ha fatto star 44 E 21,fol. 194r-v) troppo attaccatoal disegno:il male e che il difetto e stato veduto non nel disegno, ma nel rame. Ho mostratoal med. Vasi il disegno della Cuccagna, e si e convenuto insieme del modo d'intagliarlo,sicche riesca bene. II S. Vincenzio del Re per dirla confidente- 10. Bottari in Rome to Corsini in Naples, 3rd September 1748 (BCR, Cors. mente a VE. ha saputo,che in Roma i suoi disegno non hanno incontratoquell'ap- 44 E 21, fol.227v) provazione, che egli forse s'aspettava,e ne ha scritto a Vasi, il quale da uomo prudenteha rispostoin maniera di non disgustarlo.Pur questo ha giovato,perche Ho avuto la prova da Piranesi della Cuccagna, ed ha ridotto un rame che spero tra loro se la sono intesa,e farasi, che il rame della Cuccagnaverrabene. Ho ezian- debba piacere,e se lo confronterannocol disegno,vedra ognuno, quanto abbia piu dio sollecitatoquello, che ha le mani nella Relazione, e oggi appunto ha portato il del grande, e questo sia meglio. Del resto la bellezza del rame non si vede, se non rimanente,e si e letta insieme, onde resta, che finisca di ritoccarla,e poi la faccia dopo, che ne sono tirate200 copie. copiare.Non vi ha dubbio, che per rintagliarela Cuccagna ci serviremodel primo rame, ma e bisognato ribatterlo,e ripulirlo, e in questa maniera con la spesa 11. Bottari to Corsini, 29th September 1748 (BCR, Cors. 44 D 34, fol.98r) d'alquantipaoli ci risparmieremoquella di parecchiscudi. Ho pagato il Piranesi,ed il suo rame e in mano a quello che incide i caratteri,e lo 17. Bottari in Rome to Corsini in Naples, 22nd December 1748 (BCR, Cors. rivavrooggi, o domani. 44 E 21, fol.240r) 12. Corsini in Rome to Bottari in Naples, 6th October 1748 (BCR, Cors. 33 In tanto gli ho mostratola Cuccagna,e il disegnoposto al numero 14 che e la scena, C 9, fol.350v) dove fu rappresentatala Serenata. Viene approvatala nuovaprovadel Piranesionde puole farlopagaree ritirarei rami 18. Corsini in Naples to Bottari in Rome, llthJanuary 1749 (BCR, Cors. 32 della Cuccagna D 19, fol.3v) 13. Tarasconi in ?Portici to Corsini in Naples, 15th October 1748 (BCR, Gia veddi il libro di stampe fatte da Piranesie mi piacque, benche gl'intendentidi Cors. 33 C 9, fols.371r-72r) qui dichino non esseretutti uguali ... Vedo bene che quanto io le sia noioso;pure VE. scusi il tedio, e mi permetta il rag- 19. Bottari in Rome to Corsini in Naples, 4th March 1749 (BCR, Cors. 44 E guagliarladi quanto mi e occorso questamattinacon le Loro Mta all'occasioneche 21, fol.262r) gli ho umiliate le due ultime stampe per ottenerne le Reg.a Loro approvazione. Quella del Vasi e statasommamenteapplaudita,ma quella del Piranesiesprimente II Vasi scrive questa sera nuovamenteal Sig. Conte Tarrasconi.Mi ha mostratala la Cuccagna ha incontratatale disaprovazioneche non mi e valuto ragione alcuna lettera, nella quale non dice altro, se non che chiede il quartierecome ex integro, per impedirmil'ordinepositivoricevutodi farlanovamenteincideredal Vasi:fra le quasi che non se ne forse fattamai parola, e si raccomandaanche umilmentea Vra altrecose li ho detto, che si potrebbefarladi nuovo incideredal Piranesigiacche, si Eccza. Egli vuol fare un corpo di tutte le belle fabbrichedi Roma antiche, e mo- vede, che non riesceil correggerla;che il farlaincidereda un' altroProfessore... Ma derne, e ne ha disegnatala maggiorparte e molte intagliate,e il P.Bianchinivi fa la che pro forte il Re, e piu fortela Regina, non ho mai ottenutaaltrarispostafuori di, spiegazione ... Gia sarebbefuori il 2?e forse il 3?tomo, se non erano gl'intaglidi questa:II Vasi novamentela incida, perche questa assolutamentenon si deve porre questefeste. nel Libro.Tutto questo discorso,che in accorciole scrivo,cominci6 in privatonella Camera di S.M. avantiil pranzo, e fini in pubblico,dopo aver duratotutto il tempo 20. Bottari in Rome to Corsini in Naples, 27th May 1749 (BCR, Cors. 44 E del pranzo.Non vi e dunquerimedio ... Se il Piranesie statopagato,ci vuol pazien- 21, fol.292r-v) za, se n6; si pu6 tentaredi non pagarlointieramentequandonon riescail non pagar- lo affatto:su questoper6 mi rimettoin tutti a ci6 che VE. ordinera,ed in tutti i casi Non dara, a mio crederenoia alcuna, che la forma del libro sia di mezzo foglio per- avanzaremmola spesa del Rame. che le stampe grandi non si piegano, ma s'imbracanonel mezzo, talche nell'aprire il librosi aprela stampa.Cosi sono molte stampedel libro,in cui si descrivela Sacra 14. Bottari in Rome to Corsini in Naples, 25th October 1748 (BCR, Cors. 44 del presente Re di Francia,cosi le stampe del suo Gabinetto, e cosi infinite altre. E 21, fols.232v-33r) Inoltre,se si volessefare il volume in foglio aperto,verrebbed'un forma odiosa a ve- dersi, incomoda a manneggiarsi, e incomodissima collocare tra gli altri libri e Con l'ordinariod'oggi mi son preso la liberta di mandare a Vostra Eccelenza il bisognerebbetenerlo sempresopra una tavolaa diacere,come fu l'Accampamento primo tomo d'antichita disegnate, e intagliate dal Piranesi, da cui mi pare che del Re di Pollonia,che non si sa in libreriadi VE. dove metterlo. 419