MAGNUS, OLAUS, ARCHBISHOP OF UPSALA | Historia delie Genti et delia Natura delle Cose settentrionali. Venice: Domenico Nicolini for the heirs of Lucatonio Giunta, 1565

MAGNUS, OLAUS, ARCHBISHOP OF UPSALA

Historia delie Genti et delia Natura delle Cose settentrionali. Venice: Domenico Nicolini for the heirs of Lucatonio Giunta, 1565

4to (310 x 220 mm). With engraved map and 467 woodcuts in text; a little dust smudging to title, some browning to two signatures, marginal dampstaining at rear and last three leaves repaired at corners, lacks final blank. Later vellum, rebacked.

Second edition, the first in Italian, of this cultural history of Northern Europe, the principle source for our knowledge of Scandinavian life in the sixteenth century and of great interest for its sporting content. It contains nearly five hundred illustrations covering a huge range of subjects including geography, climate (illustration of snow crystals), local customs, occupations such as painting and minting coinage, methods of warfare, navigation, crafts, and hunting and fishing scenes.

The woodblocks are for the most part the same as those used in the first edition, printed in Rome 1555, but with a few exceptions including the map which in this edition is engraved rather than woodcut.

LITERATURE:

Mortimer, Harvard/Italian 270 (first edition); Schwerdt II, 4 :"Its sporting interest lies in the many curious engravings of hunting and fishing scenes"