farfel_n02_095_098

The earliest book illustrations both at Milan + Florence, were
from intaglio plates, i.e. Milan in Fra Paeitico de
Nouara, Summula de preifier Conscientia, printed by F. de
Lavagnia 24 March 1479 (See #16) + at Florence Antonio
Bettini, Monte Santo di Dio, printed by N. Laurentii
1477. (the 1st book illustrated to metal engravings)
- Dante called it simply Commedia which meant a story with a happy
ending. The theme of the Divine Comedy is the sanctification of
the human soul. It is symbolic of the soul's journey from a state
of spiritual misery to one of holy bliss.
- this edition is famous for the remarkable series of engravings by
Baccio Baldini from frawings made by Sandro Botticelli for a manuscript
of this work probably commissioned by Lorenzo di' Medici.
Goff D27 Venia, Vindelinus de Spira 1477. - The colophon is in
the form of a sonnet, in which Dante is called "divo" (divine) + it is
believed that it is from the use of that word here that the work itself
came to be called the Divine Comedy; in the 15th C + earlier it was
simply known as the Commedia
Lendino - the leading Florentine humanist.
-Cantos 1 + 2 always printed on the book paper, 3 sometimes
on book paper + sometimes pasted in, 4-19 always pasted in.
- N. Laurentii, a German from the dio cese of Brislau was one of
the most accomplished early printers fo Florence. 1st ed to the
important interpretation of the powm by the famous Florentine
commentator C. Landini.
- This ed. was meant to have one engraving to each Canto of the
3 Conticis or books, but at the printer abandoned this idea.
The engravings for Cantos 1 + 2 are always on book paper; that
of Canto 3 is sometimes on the book paper, sometimes pasted in;
those to 4-19 are always pasted in.
-the 2nd Florentine illustrated book
- ed. size may have been as large as 1200 copies. Of the more than
125 surviving copies only about 20 contain the fall complement of 19
engravings