- 43
Hyginus, Caius Julius
Estimate
2,500 - 3,500 USD
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Description
De mundi Et sphaerae Ac utriusq[ue] Partium Declaratione Cum Planetis Et Variis Signis Historiatis. Venice: Melchior Sessa & Petrus de Ravanis, 24 March 1517
4to (8 x 5⅞ in.; 204 x 150 mm). Large title woodcut of the author enthroned between Astronomia and Urania, gazing at the Zodiac, holding an astrolabe and an armillary sphere, full-page woodcut of an armillary sphere on title verso, 47 half-page woodcut text illustrations of constellations and allegorical representations of the planets, decorative woodcut initials; worm track in lower margin of first six leaves mended affecting frame of title, quire mark, and a few letters, mends in lower margins of leaf D4 and quires E-M touching image in two cases at H2 and I2 verso, and a few letters, without the final blank leaf, some marginal spotting, upper outer corner of three leaves mended. Quarter vellum and decorated paper over boards.
4to (8 x 5⅞ in.; 204 x 150 mm). Large title woodcut of the author enthroned between Astronomia and Urania, gazing at the Zodiac, holding an astrolabe and an armillary sphere, full-page woodcut of an armillary sphere on title verso, 47 half-page woodcut text illustrations of constellations and allegorical representations of the planets, decorative woodcut initials; worm track in lower margin of first six leaves mended affecting frame of title, quire mark, and a few letters, mends in lower margins of leaf D4 and quires E-M touching image in two cases at H2 and I2 verso, and a few letters, without the final blank leaf, some marginal spotting, upper outer corner of three leaves mended. Quarter vellum and decorated paper over boards.
Provenance
Leo S. Olschki (bookplate)
Literature
Essling 291; Sander 3478
Catalogue Note
The Poeticon of Hyginus was first published by Ratdolt in 1482 illustrated with a set of woodcuts, and subsequently appeared in numerous early sixteenth-century editions. The present edition represents a different illustrative tradition. The title woodcut is a simplified version of the Ptolemy woodcut used by Sessa in his 1501 edition of Sacrobosco, this version first used in his Hyginus edition of 1512 (see Mortimer Italian 451) as were the constellation figures.