DANTE [La Divine Comédie]. Dante col sito, et forma dell’Inferno.

Mambelli, 26 : “Rara ed.” ; Brunet, II, 502 ; Sander, 2323 ; Essling, 540 ; see exhibiton catalogue “Alessandro Paganini tipografo a Toscolano (1517-1538)”, Toscolano, Fondazione Valle delle Cartiere, 2008, p. 43, n° 36, and  P.M.M., 8 (for the edition Florence  1481).

The notoriously rare pocket edition of the Divine Comedy, the first to appear in this reduced format.

This marvelous edition is published by Alessandro Paganini, inventor of publisher’s sets of various authors, all printed in the same format and same typeset.

This book is printed in in minuscule typography designed by Paganini himself. Two issues are known; one with the pagination in Arabic numbers (such as the present copy), the other in Roman numbers. It is dedicated to Giulio de Medici, future Pope Clemens VII.

It is illustrated with four fine woodcuts placed on the last 3 leaves including a double page illustration on the Inferno, and three schematic plates corresponding to the punishments, reputedly designed by the humanist Pietro Bembo (1470-1547).

The double page map of Hell bears the initials I.A., doubtless Iohannes Andrea, which leads to the attribution of the woodcuts to Giovanni Andrea Vavassore, himself a famous Venetian printer and engraver at the beginning of the 16th century.

“The remarkable distinguishing characteristic of Paganini’s first collection was their small format. In fact, the 1515 edition of Dante in the very compact 24mo is unique among editions of Dante in the Renaissance. It was part of a series begun in the same year which included Petrarch’s Rime, Jacopo Sannazaro’s Arcadia and Pietro Bembo’s Neoplatonic love dialogue, Gli Asolani. This editorial program can be considered an elaboration on Aldus’ innovations at the beginning of the century, both for the small format and for the elegant characters which are midway between italic and roman. The choice of works also follows Aldus. Their intended courtly audience is clearly indicated by the persons to whom the individual titles are dedicated, embracing some of the most prominent figures of the Italian High Renaissance courtly society, including Isabella d’Este, Giovanni Aurelio Augurello, and Pietro Bembo” (see “Renaissance Dante in Print”, on-line exhibition catalogue).

First and last leaf rehinged, text of leaf 201v slightly shaved in outer margin touching several letters, plan of the Inferno shaved at lower margin slightly touching the text.