ITALIAN GARDENS IN WATERCOLOR — ROME, FRASCATI & TIVOLI

Vignal, Pierre (1855–1925); William Robert Powell, introduction

Water Color Renderings: Gardens of Rome [14 of 15 Loose Color Plates — Rome, Frascati & Tivoli]

Cleveland, Ohio: J. H. Jansen, Publisher, 1926. THE GARDENS AND RUINS OF ROME IN PIERRE VIGNAL'S WATERCOLORS.
A large-format portfolio reproducing Pierre Vignal's luminous watercolors of Rome and its surrounding villas and gardens, issued shortly after the French artist's death. Views range from the Forum and Palatine to the Vatican and Villa Borghese gardens, Villa Medici, Frascati, and the celebrated villas at Tivoli.

Fourteen of the original fifteen loose color plates are present, retaining the portfolio format in which Vignal's watercolors could be individually studied or displayed.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: FOURTEEN LARGE COLOR PLATES PRINTED IN FRANCE.
+++ Publisher's portfolio measuring approximately 9.75 × 13.25 inches, with blue-gray paper-covered boards, tan cloth spine, printed front cover with decorative urn device, and original cloth ties.
+++ Title leaf followed by a printed list of plates and an introductory biographical essay on Vignal by his former pupil William Robert Powell, illustrated with a photographic portrait of the artist.
+++ Fourteen loose color plates, each approximately 9 × 12.75 inches, reproducing Vignal's watercolors on lightly textured art paper, with identifying captions printed on the versos. Color plates printed in France, November 1926.

The printed contents call for fifteen views:
Rome — The Forum (two views); On the Palatine; Gardens of the Vatican; Villa Medicis; Villa Medici — Fountain; On the Pincio; Gardens of the Villa Borghese; Frascati — Cascade in the Villa Aldobrandini; Fountain of Paul V in the Villa Mondragone; Terraces of the Villa Torlonia; Tivoli — In the Gardens of the Villa Adriana; Fountain in the Villa d'Este; Avenue in the Villa d'Este; and Staircase in the Villa d'Este.

CONDITION: VERY GOOD PLATES IN A WORN BUT COMPLETE ORIGINAL PORTFOLIO.
+++ Portfolio Good, with general rubbing, fading and handling wear to the blue-gray paper covering; corners and extremities worn, with fraying and some loss at the cloth spine ends. Boards remain attached and both original cloth ties survive. A moisture mark is visible near the upper edge of the rear board.
+++ Contents generally Very Good. Introductory and preliminary leaves show scattered light foxing and age-toning. Color plates remain attractive, with strong color and only occasional minor edge wear or handling evidence.
+++ Lacking Tivoli — Avenue in the Villa d'Este, the fourteenth entry in the printed list of plates. All other listed color plates are present.
+++ Faint contemporary pencil gift notation appears on the inner front board.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE: PIERRE VIGNAL'S ITALIAN GARDENS IN WATERCOLOR.
Pierre Vignal was a French watercolorist particularly associated with architectural subjects, Mediterranean light, historic cities, and gardens. Powell's introduction emphasizes Vignal's extensive travel in Italy and his particular fascination with Venice, Florence, Rome, Tivoli and Frascati.

The portfolio belongs to a series of Vignal watercolor publications devoted to places including Venice, Rome, northern Italian cities, Palestine and Naples.  The loose-plate format is particularly suited to Vignal's work, allowing the individual views to function both as studies of Italian garden architecture and as decorative examples of early twentieth-century watercolor reproduction.

SUBJECTS: Pierre Vignal, Rome, Roman Gardens, Italian Gardens, Landscape Architecture, Villa d'Este, Villa Adriana, Villa Medici, Villa Borghese, Vatican Gardens, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, Tivoli, Frascati, Italian Travel, Watercolor Painting, Art Portfolio, Architectural Illustration.

Item #22506

Price: $75.00