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Gemmae antiquae caelatae 1724

Title page - Gemmae antiquae celataeGemmae antiquae caelatae is a bilingual (Latin and French) book published by Philipp von Stosch in 1724 in Amsterdam (the publisher was Bernard Picart). It is regarded as a pioneering work in the discipline of glyptics, a true milestone. This is because Stosch focussed his research on the very peculiar problem of some gem inscriptions, which he proved to be signatures of ancient gem engravers. He selected 70 intaglios and cameos, discussed them and presented them on plates in his book. Rejecting typical subject-matter organisation, Stosch listed the objects in alphabetical order by engraver, making it possible to observe several works attributed to one artist at the same time. Moreover, Stosch provided full information on the published gems for the first time, not only discussing their subject-matters but also provenance, the gemstones they were made of and individual styles. All these aspects made the book a highly successful volume.

However, there is much uncertainty about the book’s production process which we aim to solve using Stosch's rediscovered pictorial legacy. In the collection of gem drawings in the Princes Czartoryski Museum in Krakow, the lost preliminary illustrations for Stosch's book are attributed to Hieronymus Odam (1681-1741), Pier Leone Ghezzi (1674-1755) and Bernard Picart (1673-1733). Within the project we search for other drawings of these types, attempting to collect and evaluate all of them. Ultimately, we aim to present a complete reconstruction of the process of the book’s production, from Stosch's initial concept to the final execution and printing of the volume by Picart. There were several breakthroughs, and it turns out that the effects of Picart's work as the publisher do not entirely reflect Stosch's original vision.

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