Porta di Castello. G. Vasi dis. e inc. 20. (to accompany) Delle magnificenze di Roma antica e moderna : Libro primo ... In Roma MDCCXLVII (1747).

Engraved view of the Porta Castello was a utility gate in the Vatican City.
Vasi’s views of ancient and modern Rome show a personification of Rome in a series of ten books in 3 volumes. Engraved by Vasi, with explanatory text that provides historical and documentary information for each view, written by Vasi and Giuseppe Bianchini in Book I. Published between 1747 and 1761, it consists of 200 plates, 30 inset views and 3 plans in Book I and two plans in Book X. Plate 77 marked 78 in Vol. 2, Book 4. Plate 177 marked 178 in Vol. 3, Book 9. The collection lacks one leaf of text - Pages XXIX and XXX in Vol. 3, Book 10. Books are arranged by themes devoted to a particular architectural aspect of Rome: 1. Gates and walls; 2. Piazzas, obelisks, columns &c.; 3. Basilicas and ancient churches; 4. Palaces and streets; 5. Bridges and buildings on the Tiber; 6. Parish churches; 7. Conventi and clergy houses; 8. Monasteries for women; 9. Colleges, hospitals and pious foundations; 10. Villas and gardens. Engraved views showing towns, landmarks, buildings, plants, shrubs, figures, coaches and animals. The ten title-page vignettes are all unsigned. Each book has a dedication note by Vasi, a preface and index. The publishers were: Stamperia del Chracas; Stamperia di Apollo; Niccolo e Marco Pagliarini and Eredi Barbiellini. Vasi’s Roman vedute became popular outside Italy in the second half of the eighteenth century. In the inscription, Vasi describes himself as ‘painter, engraver, architect and Arcadian shepherd’, or member of the Accademia degli Arcadi. The academy was a literary and social club formed not only by authors and poets, but also by members of the professional classes, ecclesiastics and aristocrats interested in literature and modern science.
Early printed books, 4 (2001), nos. 3389-98