Lomazzo, Rime, Milan, 1587, later half calf

Lomazzo, Giovanni Paolo. Rime di Gio. Paolo Lomazzi milanese pittore, divise in sette libri. Nelle quali ad imitatione de i grotteschi usati da' pittori, ha cantato le lodi di Dio, & de le cose sacre, di prencipi, di signori, & huomini letterati, di pittori, scoltori, & architetti… Et però intitolate Grotteschi, non solo dilettevoli per la varietà de le inventioni, mà utili ancora per la moralità che vi si contiene. Con la vita del auttore descritta da lui stesso in rime sciolte

. Milan: Paolo Gottardo da Ponte, 1587

First edition. Lomazzo's large collection of poems, dedicated to various people or groups of people, both real and imaginary, concludes with an autobiographical poem which provides substantial detail of Lomazzo's life. He also mentions other artists who were also poets, such as Gaudenzio Ferrari, Michelangelo and Bronzino.

In Lomazzo's thinking, grotteschi (grotesques) required much imagination and invention, and were therefore to be admired, though the attitude of some churchmen (given the atmosphere of the Counter-Reformation) to fantastical art forms was less positive. (For the post-Tridentine attitude to religious art, see lot 569, by Molanus.)

4to (223 x 164 mm). Italic type, 35 lines plus headline. collation: A-Z⁸ AA-OO⁸: 296 leaves. Woodcut medallion portrait of the author (after Annibale Fontana) on each title-page, woodcut initials. (Small marginal wormholes in final two leaves.)