• Title : Pianta Del Palazzo Del Cardinale Alesandrino a SS Apostoli
• Date : 1665
• Condition: (A+) Fine Condition
• Ref:  91183
• Size: 18in x 14in (460mm x 360mm) 

Description:
This finely engraved original antique architectural engraving a plan of Palazzo Valentini in central Rome, Italy by Giovanni Battistaa Falda was published by Giacomo de Rossi in the 1665 edition of Il nuovo teatro delle fabriche, et edificii, in prospettiva di Roma moderna, 1665-1699.
These original prints are published on beautiful heavy clean original 17th century laid Italian made paper inlaid with a Fleur-de-Lis watermark.

Palazzo Valentini is a palazzo in central Rome, Italy, not far from Piazza Venezia that was the residence of Carlo Michele Bonelli, Cardinal Alessandrino and his hiers in the 17th century.
The palazzo was first built by cardinal Michele Bonelli, nephew of pope Pius V, who, in 1585, acquired a pre-existing palazzo from Giacomo Boncompagni at the extremity of what was then piazza dei Santi Apostoli. Today the palazzo is separated from that piazza by via Quattro Novembre, opened later to connect the new via Nazionale with piazza Venezia. The cardinal was also the owner of a large part of the area which extended, behind the palazzo, above the ruins of the imperial foraof Trajan and Augustus, known by the name "Pantano" due to being subject to impaludamenti or flooding. Over the same years the district on the ruins of the imperial fora was subjected to a general development of the land and to a systematic urbanisation, with the creation of the "quartiere Alessandrino" in the cardinal's honour (he was nicknamed "cardinale alessandrino" after his origins in a village in the province of Alessandria). The quarter was destroyed in the 1920s and 1930s to open via dei Fori Imperiali.
The trapezoidal plan of the palazzo was designed by Domenico Paganelli. Thanks to substantial funds ploughed into the project by the cardinal, the palazzo was quickly completed within 3 years after building started. In the 17th century the building was then subject to a series of major renovations and expansions, carried out on behalf of cardinals Carlo Bonelli and Michele Ferdinando Bonelli. The palazzo was partially demolished and rebuilt by Francesco Peparelli for its new owner, cardinal Renato Imperiali, who organised the important family library (the "Imperiali") of around 24,000 volumes.
At the start of the 18th century, the palazzo was leased to several prominent personalities, including marchese Francesco Maria Ruspoli from 1705 to 1713, who made it the site for a private theatre and hosted illustrious musicians of the time such as Handel, Alessandro Scarlatti and Arcangelo Corelli. The entire building was then acquired in 1752 by cardinal Giuseppe Spinelli, who realised a new decorative scheme for the first floor and systematised the library (meant by him for public use, and frequented by Johann Joachim Winckelmann) on the ground floor.
In 1827 the Prussian banker and consul general Vincenzo Valentini acquired the palazzo, in which he settled and to which he gave his name. The palazzo was later expanded and rebuilt at great expense, and its new owner used it to house his own collection of paintings as well as increasing the palazzo's own substantial library and archaeological collection. Completion of the works at the back of the palazzo, overlooking the column of Trajan, was entrusted to the architects Filippo Navone and Giovanni Battista Benedetti. Between 1861 and 1865 Vincenzo's son Gioacchino Valentini commissioned two further expansions on the left side, along via di Sant'Eufemia, designed by the architect Luigi Gabet. The provincial deputation of Rome acquired the palazzo as their base in 1873, commissioning the architect Gabet to complete the right side on via de’ Fornari, at the top of vicolo di San Bernardo.

General Definitions:
Paper thickness and quality: - Heavy and stable
Paper color : - off white
Age of map color: - 
Colors used: - 
General color appearance: - 
Paper size: - 18in x 14in (460mm x 360mm)
Plate size: - 11 1/2in x 9in (290mm x 230mm)
Margins: - Min 1/2in (12mm)

Imperfections:
Margins: - None
Plate area: - None
Verso: - None

Background: 
Il Nuovo Teatro: One of the most important architectural projects of the seventeenth century was the urban renovation of Rome. Under the brilliant leadership of Pope Alessandro VII (1655-1667), Rome dramatically emerged as one of the most modern and beautiful cities of the new Baroque age. Within several decades spacious roadways were constructed, monumental buildings arose, and many public squares appeared with elaborate fountains and monuments. To be sure, this massive undertaking was meant to underline the absolute power of the Papacy but it also brought forth a new flowering of Italian art and architecture.
The Nuovo Teatro was initiated in 1665 to depict the new Rome in a series of etchings. What it gave to future generations was a magnificent historical record of views etched by two of Italy's greatest architectural artists. The printing and publishing of these important etchings was entrusted to Giacomo de Rossi (1626-1691), the head of the most dominant Roman publishing house. Sons and nephews of de Rossi, in fact, continued the publishing house until 1738 when the business was sold to Pope Clement XII to form the basis of the Regia Calcografia.) Altogether, four sets of Nuovo Teatro were created during the seventeenth century. Volumes one (35 etchings) and two (17 etchings) were both published in the year of 1665 and dealt mainly in views of the new piazzas, gardens, terraces and their surrounding buildings. Volume 3 (38 etchings) was published in 1669 and concentrated upon the newly constructed churches of Rome. Every plate from the first three sets was both designed and etched by the influential architectural artist, Giovanni Battista Falda (1643-1678). For reasons unknown the fourth and final volume (52 etchings) did not appear until 1699. It was published by Giacomo's successor, Domenico de Rossi, and featured views of the palaces and stately homes of Rome. Each plate was designed and etched by the famous architect and etcher, Alessandro Specchi (1668-1729)