Obradović, Dositej

AESOP. Ezopove i prochikh raznikh basnotvorcev... Leipzig: Johann Gottlieb Emmanuel Breitkopf, 1788, woodcut headpieces, lacking L2-7 and Ff2 (final leaf), title-page slightly torn in gutter, occasional light damp-staining

Bukvice na sokhraneniyu bivshe do danas. Vienna: Mekhitarists, 1830, 79pp., head of title-page repaired



2 works in one volume, 8vo (171 x 110mm.), contemporary half calf, slightly rubbed

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Dositej Obradović (1739-1811) is considered to be the father of Serbian literature and culture. He became a monk in 1757 but subsequently travelled widely across Europe, from England to Russia, where he acquired many languages both classical and modern. The second part of his edition of Aesop contains letters written from his travels across Europe, including Leipzig in 1788 when the book was published, and were subsequently appended to his 1783 autobiography, Zivot i prikljucenija.

In 1807 he settled in Belgrade, where he was invited to become the first minister of education during Serbia's attempts to free itself from Ottoman rule. He promoted the use of Serbian as opposed to Russian-Slavonic as a literary language; his translation of Aesop was considered to be of particular importance, and he included related Serbian material to help popular understanding of the text.

Breitkopf (1719-1794), the printer of the Aesop, is more renowned as a music publisher. The Armenian Mekhitarist monastery in Vienna, who published the second work, was founded in 1810 after Venice, the home of the mother house, came under Austrian rule. Copies of Bukvice were offered as a prize by the Novi Sad bookseller, Konstantin Kaulicia, who is mentioned on the title-page of this copy.