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Jefferson's fine arts library

his selections for the University of Virginia, together with his own architectural books
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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86. Montfaucon, Bernard de.
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86. Montfaucon, Bernard de.

Vol. I. ANTIQUITY / EXPLAINED, / And REPRESENTED in /
SCULPTURES, / BY THE / Learned Father MONTFAUCON,/
Translated into English by / DAVID HUMPHREYS, M. A. / And Fellow
of Trinity-College in Cambridge. / VOLUME the FIRST. / LONDON:
/ Printed by J. TONSON and J. WATTS. / MDCCXXI.

Folio. Two-color title page (1 leaf); dedication (1 leaf); preface (5
leaves); table of contents (21 unnumbered pp.); introduction (7 unnumbered
pp.); text, with 98 engravings, of which 20 are double, inserted
([1]-260).


227

Page 227

Vol. II. ANTIQUITY / . . . / VOLUME the SECOND. / . . .

Folio. Two-color title page ([1]); text, with 61 engravings, of which 1 is
folding and 16 double, inserted ([3]-284).

Vol. III. ANTIQUITY / . . . / VOLUME the THIRD. / . . . /
MDCCXXII.

Folio. Two-color title page ([1]); text, with 63 engravings, of which 12
are double, inserted ([3]-227).

Vol. IV. ANTIQUITY / . . . / VOLUME the FOURTH. / . . .

Folio. Two-color title page ([1]); text, with 46 engravings, of which 28
are double, inserted ([3]-193).

Vol. V. ANTIQUITY / . . . / VOLUME the FIFTH. / . . .

Folio. Two-color title page ([1]); text, with 51 engravings, of which 19
are double, inserted ([3]-165).

Vol. VI. THE / SUPPLEMENT / TO / ANTIQUITY / EXPLAINED,
/ And REPRESENTED in / SCULPTURES / By THE /
Learned Father MONTFAUCON. / Translated into English by DAVID
HUMPHREYS,
M. A. / And Fellow of Trinity College in Cambridge. /
In FIVE VOLUMES. / VOLUME the FIRST. / LONDON: / Printed
by J. TONSON and J. WATTS. / MDCCXXV.

and

THE / SUPPLEMENT / TO / ANTIQUITY / EXPLAINED, / And
REPRESENTED in / SCULPTURES. VOLUME the SECOND.

Folio. Two-color title page (1 leaf); preface (3 leaves); table of contents
(6 leaves); text, with 31 engravings, of which 6 are double, inserted
([1]-132); title page ([133]); text, with 23 engravings (numbered
32-54), of which 1 is folding and 2 are double, inserted ([135]-256).

Vol. VII. THE / SUPPLEMENT / . . . / VOLUME the THIRD.

and

THE / SUPPLEMENT / . . . / VOLUME the FOURTH.

and

THE / SUPPLEMENT / . . . / VOLUME the FIFTH.

Folio. Title page ([257]); text, with 26 engravings (numbered 55-80),
of which 6 are double, inserted ([259]-386); title page ([387]); text,


228

Page 228
with 23 engravings (numbered 81-103), of which 8 are double, inserted
([389]-482); title page ([483]); text, with 25 engravings (numbered
104-128), of which 1 is double, inserted ([485]-571).

Bernard de Montfaucon (1655-1741) began life as a soldier, but after
an early military career he entered the Benedictine order in 1675. In
1687 he was called to Paris where the order had a collection of medals,
and in 1698 he was sent to Italy. He was a member of the Académie des
Inscriptions, 1719, and wrote altogether some thirteen books. The present
work was issued in French between 1719 and 1724.

Montfaucon himself tells the origin of his work and something of
its organization:

About four and thirty Years ago, my Superiors appointed me to put out an
Edition of the Greek fathers: I presently applied my self to those Studies
which would enable me to do it with Success. I perceived immediately that
profane Learning was absolutely requisite, in order to a full Understanding
of the Fathers of the Church. . . . I therefore applied my self to a serious
Study of Antiquity . . . and . . . began to make a Collection of Drawings
and antique Pieces about six and twenty Years ago. [I, i]

I have reduced into one Body all Antiquity. By the Word Antiquity I
mean only what may be the Object of the Sight, and may be represented by
Figures; and this alone is of a vast Extent. [I, iii]

. . . The first Volume . . . which treats of the Gods of the Greeks
and Romans, and contains almost all their Mythology. . . .

The Second Volume contains the religious Worship of the Greeks and
Romans and the Gods and Religion of the Barbarious Nations. . . .

The Third Volume was thought a fit place to speak of the Ancients
Hunting, and Fishing before the Instruments of the Arts. [I, iv]

The second volume has two plates of the Pantheon (see Plate
LXXXII) and no less than eight concerning the Maison Carrée, while
Plates 14, 15, and 16 are also especially architectural. Volume III shows
some public buildings (see Plate LXXXIII); Vol. IV, which deals with
military matters and roads, contains a good many illustrations of military
architecture; Vol. V, which deals with funerals and lamps, also has
a number of architectural illustrations. The supplemental volumes contain
only a few architectural illustrations, but, of course, the entire work
is full of illustrations taken from coins and statues.

Jefferson, perhaps ignorant of the last volume, ordered a ninevolume
edition for the University in the section on "History-CivilAntient"
of the want list, but there is no record that any of the volumes
were received during his lifetime. The library's present set has been



No Page Number
illustration

Plate LXXXII. From No. 86. The Pantheon, Rome (Vol. II, Pl. 4, opp. p. 35).



No Page Number
illustration

Plate LXXXIII. From No. 86. The Colosseum, Rome (Vol. III, Pl. 46, opp. p. 162).


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recently acquired, the gift of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation.

U. Va.

*DE57.M79.1721