Saracenic and Norman Remains to Illustrate the Normans in Sicily
London: John Murray, 1840. First Edition. Royal folio, 21 3/4 x 14 3/4 inches (550 x 370 mm). Illustrated title, ii, 3 - 6, [1, list of plates] pp. 30 tinted lithographic plates, three of which are in color as issued (including pictorial title). Bound in half maroon pebbled leather over cloth boards with leather title label, intricately gilt, on front board, and gilt title on spine. Re-hinged but shaken, with a few loose leaves at the front; corners bumped and edges rubbed. Plates are clean and unmarked, top edges of the large sheets are a little browned, well away from the images.
[Pine-Coffin 836/2].
Henry Gally Knight (1786 – 1846) was a British writer, politician and traveler. His travels in the 1830's to Normandy and Italy to document the architectural remains of the Normans resulted in several publications: An Architectural Tour in Normandy (1836); Saracenic and Norman Remains (1840); and The Ecclesiastical Architecture of Italy (1842-1844). Knight argued that the evolution of the pointed arch in Norman architecture predated the influence of the returning Crusades. He maintained that the characteristic pointed arch of Islamic architecture was in fact adopted in Norman Sicily prior to the Crusades and reflected Norman tendency to adopt the style, form and employ the workmen of the local region. In 1841, Knight was named fellow of the Royal Society for his work in architecture and other pursuits. A scarce and important work on architecture.
Condition: Very good.
Item number: 1594
Price: $2,500.00
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