1819. Two parts in one volume, 16mo; I. pp. 70, [2], with engraved frontispiece portrait of Lavater, and 49 engraved plates; pp. [ii] title-page, 52, [iv] including blank; with 12 engraved plates numbered 50-61, plates 57-61 folding; tear repaired to inner gutter of Vol. I p. 25, lightly foxed throughout with some occasional further soiling, but otherwise good; uncut, in the original printed wrappers, head and tail of spine worn with loss, with evidence of previous repairs to joints, spine a little cracked and fragile, book-block a little loose, but holding firm, covers a little soiled, but a most appealing example. A charming and scarce Italian dissemination of Lavater’s masterpiece on physiognomy, and a testament to the enduring popularity and influence of his theories. Apparently translated by G. B. Carta, the work was first published in La Haye in 1803 as Règles physiognomiques ou observations sur quelques traits caractéristiques, and was itself an abridgement of Lavater’s four volume ‘Physiognomische Fragmente zur Beförderung der Menschenkenntnis und Menschenliebe’ (1775-1778). The 1803 work was an elegantly produced large 4to, the plates each within a striking framed border. The present Italian edition published by Carta and Vallardi is more reminiscent of the attractive and highly successful series of pocket physiognomies published by Madame Veuve Hocquart between 1808-1809, namely Le Lavater Portatif, Le Lavater des Dames, and L'art de connaître les hommes. Indeed, in 1811 Vallardi published an Italian translation of Le Lavater Portatif, Il Lavater portatile o sia compendio dell'arte di conoscere gli uomini, a second edition of which also appeared in 1819, no doubt intended to be viewed as a companion volume.
The plates have presumably been re-engraved for this edition, and are placed to face the descriptive text. It begins with a frontispiece portrait of Lavater, and also includes his comparative discussion comparing the physiognomy of the human race with that of animals.