PETRARCA, Francesco (1304-74) - photo 1
PETRARCA, Francesco (1304-74) - photo 2
PETRARCA, Francesco (1304-74) - photo 3

PETRARCA, Francesco (1304-74)

Sold
£ 6 300
Auction dateClassic
14.12.2022 10:30UTC +01:00
Auctioneer
CHRISTIE'S
Event location
United Kingdom, London
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ID 870705
Lot 120 | PETRARCA, Francesco (1304-74)
PETRARCA, Francesco (1304-74)

[Canzoniere.] Il Petrarcha con l'espositione d'Alessandro Vellutello. Venice: Gabriele Giolito de Ferrari, 1547.

A handsome Bolognese Renaissance binding by the ‘Pflug and Ebeleben binder’, named after two notable collectors who were among its most active patrons while they were students at the University of Bologna, Nikolaus von Ebeleben and his cousin Damian Pflug. The binder produced elaborate and innovative luxury bindings; he was perhaps named Georgius, also a German. The present binding is very similar to a 1533 Cato, probably bound for Ebeleben (David Gift III, 311), and De Marinis, La legatura artistica in Italia nei secoli XV e XVI, 1960. Vol.II no. 1372, ill. A17. Vellutello’s was one of the most popular commentaries on Petrarch of the Renaissance, published in c.26 editions during the 16th century. He re-ordered the poems, gives a biography of Petrarch and attempts one of Laura. His biographical and textual investigations led him to produce a map of Vaucluse and surroundings, where the love poems are situated. Shakespeare was just one of many authors influenced by Vellutello’s commentary; cf. Wm. Kennedy, ‘Commentary into Narrative: Shakespeare’s Sonnets and Vellutello’s commentary on Petrarch’ Allegorica, 1989. The Babylonian Sonnets criticise the decadence of the Papal courts at Avignon and Rome; having been placed on the Index in 1595, they were often censored by deletion or, as here, removal. Adams P-81; BMSTC Italian 16c, p.504; Bongi Giolito I p. 200; Edit-16, 47367.



Quarto (225 x 149mm). Woodcut architectural title incorporating Giolito device, woodcut of Petrarch and Laura on *2 verso, full-page map of Vaucluse, 6 text illustrations in the Trionfi, historiated initials, Giolito device at end (lacking 9 leaves [quire S and T1] containing the often-censored Babylonian sonnets, off-setting and slight smudging of text, primarily at beginning and end, small repair at corner of title). Contemporary Bolognese red morocco gilt, sides with an intricate interlace design of double filets filled with a variety of small tools, central compartment of upper cover tooled ‘Il Petrarcha’, cupid device on lower cover, spine gilt with small fleurons, edges richly gilt and gauffered, traces of 4 pairs of ties (head and tail of spine expertly restored, new endleaves); 20th-century black morocco box. Provenance: Maurice Burrus (bookplate, sale Alde, Paris, 2017).





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No VAT on hammer price or buyer's premium.
Place of origin:Italy, Europe
Category:Printed book
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
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10.12.2022 – 13.12.2022
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