Unattributed "Ponte di Roccia.” [Natural Bridge, Virginia]

Unattributed. “Ponte di Roccia.” [Natural Bridge, Virginia]. 

From Giulio Ferrario’s Il Costume Antico e Moderno.   Florence, 1827.   4 1/8 x 6 1/2.  Engraving by Bennardoni.  Original hand color. Very good condition.  

Giulio Ferrario was founder of the Societá tipografica de’ classici italiani and served as the director of the Braidense National Library in Milan.  Beginning in 1821, he issued a multi-volume work on the “Ancient and Modern Costumes: The history of the government, the militia, the religion, the arts and sciences, and the customs of all people ancient and modern.”  This included a number of excellent, rare views of America based on various artists.  This image shows the Natural Bridge, one of the natural wonders of America that all European visitors wanted to see.