Tuccaro, Arcangelo | Acrobatics

Tuccaro, Arcangelo

Trois Dialogues … Le Premier Dialogue traicte des exercices Gymnastiques … Le Second contient plusieurs beaux discours du saut appellee par les Anciens Cubistique ... Au Troisiesme est fort amplement discouru des exercices que l'hommme peut faire ... Paris: Monstr'oeil, 1599

4to (222 x 165 mm). 86 woodcuts in text (some full-page, several repeats) of acrobatic handstands, somersaults, vaulting, etc., one folding plate depicting a man jumping through a span of ten hoops, woodcut device on title-page, woodcut initials and headpieces; title-page lightly washed and neatly repaired along inside margin, minor worming in quires Vv–Zz, touching a few headlines, lacks final blank Eee4, several errors in foliation. Modern citron morocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe. 

One of the earliest books on acrobatics, preceded only by Girolamo Mercuriale's De arte gymnastica libri sex (Venice, 1573). The present work examines the type of exercises practiced in antiquity and relates them to dance in the first dialogue. The second is a full description of acrobatic movements and is illustrated with woodcuts, probably of the author, demonstrating handstands, somersaults, and vaults. The third dialogue is on the dynamic potential of the human body and the medical benefits of exercise.

Tuccaro was an acrobat from the kingdom of Naples. According to his dedicatory letter addressed to Henry IV he first entered into the service of Emperor Maximilian II, who ordered him to accompany his daughter Isabel to Paris where she was to wed Charles IX of France. Tuccaro became Charles's gymanastic instructor ("saltarin au roi") and notes that the king was "desirous of practicing perilous leaping."  

This copy has a title with variant wording and a different woodcut ornament. Most copies bear the title: Trois dialogues de l'exercise de sauter, et voltiger en l'air avec les figures qui servent à la parfaicte demonstration et intelligence dudict art but both maintain the same imprint. From the distinguished collection of Donald and Mary Hyde.

REFERENCE:

Adams T1017; Brunet V: 972–973; Fairfax Murray French 553 (woodcut count of 87); Rahir 3037

PROVENANCE:

Donald & Mary Hyde (bookplate on front pastedown)