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Historia Naturale

Lot 107
19.10.2023 10:00UTC -05:00
Classic
Sold
$ 2 142
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUSA, New York
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Archive
ID 1032759
Lot 107 | Historia Naturale
Estimate value
$ 2 000 – 3 000
PLINY the Elder (23-79). Caio plinio secondo de la historia naturale. Translated by Cristoforo Landino. Venice: Melchiorre Sessa, 20 June 1534.

Second illustrated Italian edition of Pliny’s “encyclopedia of all the knowledge of the ancient world,” from the famous Sessa press (PMM). When it was first published in Venice in 1469, this work marked the first appearance of any scientific text in print. In addition to providing a panoply of information (both true and false) on subjects from astronomy to zoology, Historia naturalis is also the most important early source on the history of art, outlining not just the history of ancient painting but the materials and techniques of the visual arts. Pliny, an enthusiastic student of nature unto death, ultimately perished while observing the eruption of Vesuvius—but his magnus opus lived on an one of the most important sources of information, natural historical and beyond, throughout the early modern period.

The illustrations were originally designed for use in Sessa's 1513 Latin edition, with one exception reversed here to accommodate the layout of the book. They include a representation of Pliny writing, a diagram of the cosmos, a map of Europe and the Mediterranean, depictions of fabulous creatures, a map of Africa, cannibals, elephants, lions, giraffes, sea serpents, apothecaries preparing medicines, figures being fumigated with woodsmoke, a swineherd harvesting acorns for his swine, gardeners grafting trees, the harvesting of grapes, the preparation of flax, gardeners growing melons, beekeeping, a man being given a head massage with aromatic oils, the use of herbs in medicine and sanitation, medicine from animals (including a cupping administered by an elephant), musicians, a painter painting, a sculptor carving a statue, conjurors, mineral baths, mining and panning for gold, and many more scenes. See Essling for full details of the subjects of all the cuts. "An artist’s signature in the form of a column appears on blocks for books 7, 25, and 26; at book 26, the column has a star on the top. These three blocks also have a slightly different border, the corners being joined by diagonals to form a frame" (Mortimer). This edition is a close reprint of Sessa's 1516 first Italian illustrated edition. The vernacular translation by Landino was first printed by Jenson in 1476. Rare at auction; RBH only records two other copies. See Mortimer 388 (1516 ed with these illustrations) and PMM 5 (1469 editio princeps).

Folio (304 x 208mm). Title printed in red and black. Sessa cat-and-mouse device on title and last leaf, small woodcut illustrations at head of each book, initials (small repair just touching type on title and few other small marginal repairs, a few gatherings with browning). 18th-century vellum with yapp edges, blue edges, remains of label on spine (pastedowns a little torn). Provenance: Padre Massimo Gabrielle (signature on flyleaf).
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