Scelta di architetture antiche e moderne della citta di Firenze opera gia data in luce, misurata, disegnata, ed intagliata dal celebre Ferdinando Ruggieri architetto fiorentino

Art Historical Context

Step into the architectural splendor of 18th-century Florence withScelta di architett antiche e moderne della citta di Firenze*, a magnificent printed book published in 1755. Credited primarily to the celebrated Florentine architect Ferdinando Ruggieri, who meticulously measured, drew, and oversaw the engraving of its plates, this volume celebrates the city's timeless blend of ancient and Renaissance wonders. Collaborators like Giuseppe Zocchi and Giuseppe Papini contributed exquisite etched and engraved illustrations, capturing landmarks from Filippo Brunelleschi's innovative domes to baroque additions by contemporaries. This grand folio—measuring nearly 20 by 15 inches—was a treasured resource during the Grand Tour era, when European elites flocked to Italy for cultural enlightenment. Ruggieri's precise documentation preserved Florence's evolving skyline, bridging classical antiquity with Renaissance revival and 18th-century neoclassicism. Its techniques of engraving and etching allowed for intricate, scalable details that influenced architects and artists across Europe, making complex structures accessible in print. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, this rarity (acquired via the NYU Institute of Fine Arts in 1958) underscores the era's passion for measured accuracy in art and architecture. A testament to collaborative genius, it invites you to trace Florence's enduring legacy plate by plate.

About the Artist

Giuseppe Ignazio Rossi|Filippo Brunelleschi|Ferdinando Ruggieri|Bernardo Sansone Sgrilli|Theodor Verkruis|Carlo Faucci|Vincenzo Franceschini|Carlo Gregori|Giovanni Filippo Ciocchi|Giovanni Batista Nelli|Vincelaus Ramponi|Giovanni Domenico Ferretti|Giuseppe Zocchi|Giuseppe Bouchard|Giuseppe Papini (Italian|Italian|Italian|Italian|Dutch|Italian|Italian|Italian|Italian|Italian| |Italian|Italian|Italian|Italian) · 1739 |1377 |1691 |1733 |1646 |1729 |1680 |1719 |1692 |1661 | |1692 |1711 |0018 |0018 –1739 |1446 |1741 |1755 |1739 |1784 |1740 |1759 |1770 |1725 | |1768 |1767 |0018 |0018

died before 1739|Italian, 1377–1446|Italian, ca. 1691–1741|Italian, active 1733–55|Dutch, 1646–1739|Italian, 1729–ca. 1784|Italian, Rome, 1680–after 1740|Italian, Florence 1719–1759 Florence|1692–after 1770|Italian, 1661–1725| |Italian, Florence 1692–after 1768 Florence|Italian, Florence 1711–1767 Florence|active 18th century|Italian, active first half 18th century