['Alfabeto Figurato'.]

Bookseller Notes

A delightful engraving, the letters composed of Pierrot-style figures in a variety of acrobatic positions with the occasional use of props - broom, ladder, hunting-horn - from the engaging artist and inventor, Giovanardi, best known for his innovative inlay techniques, his 'faceted paintings', one of which was rewarded at the Great Exhibition of 1851 with a gold medal and led to his celebrated 'Crystal Palace Table'. It appears that he created his engravings, in very limited numbers, for his immediate circle and only 25 or so of these designs survive.(Only Yale, Newberry and Princeton according to OCLC.)