Fortis, Alberto, Abbe; Voyage en Dalmatie. Two vols in one. Berne, Chez la Société Typographique, 1778. Octavo, pp. ii, 248, 8 engraved plates of which many are folded. 2nd title page, pp. 276, with two folding engraved maps and sixteen engraved plates of which many folding.
Bound in contemporary calf over speckled boards with gilt spine titles and ornate gilt spine panels, red text block edges. The binding is tight and exceptionally clean. The text and all plates and maps are crisp and very bright, small one inch early price clipped from upper outer corner of first free end sheet. Later penned signature of owner with Paris, 1954 date on second free end sheet. A very clean bright copy of a scarce work.
Alberto Fortis (1741-1803) was an Italian Augustinian monk, writer, cartographer and naturalist. He was born in Padua but considered a citizen of the Republic of Venice. Fortis travelled extensively in Venetian Dalmatia between 1771 and 1774 studying the natural history, geology and peoples of the region. He recorded his observations and published his best known work work “Viaggio in Dalmazia” (Journey to Dalmatia), in Italian in 1774. The work was well received and translated to French and published in Berne in 1778. This was followed by subsequent translations to German and English.
Fortis describes the geology, paleontology and natural history of the country, and customs and manners of the inhabitants. The plates depict geological features, views, fossils, archeological ruins, and native costumes, ruins, fossils etc.
