[The Courtier] Il Libro del Cortegiano [Unmutilated]

Padova [Padua]: Appresso Giusseppe Comino, 1766. Early Reprint. Full Calf. Fine. An important reprint of Aldine's first edition of 1528, discarding the extensive alterations to the text that corrupted editions of this classic treatise on etiquette for more than a century. 4to (23 x 16 cm) xxiv, 352pp, with portrait frontispiece of Castiglione after Raphael, illuminated initials and head and tail pieces throughput. Modern vellum and marbled boards, spine titled in gilt. Included is the "best and fullest biography of Castiglione, [which] was written by Abate Pietro Serassi, who had access to the family papers brought to Rome by Cardinal Valenti Gonzaga, secretary to Pope Benedict XIV." (Cartwright) A very scarce, wide-margined survival, tightly bound, contents clean with only light occasional foxing. PMM 59. Razzollini, p. 99. Gamba 296 (for Comino's complete edition of Castiglione's works from 1733, upon which this edition is based). Cartwright, v. 2, pp. 445-447. First printed, in Venice, by Aldine Press, in 1528, then reprinted innumerable times since in every major European language. The Courtier is the most celebrated instruction manual on the courtly manners of the Italian High Renaissance, "a veritable compendium of Renaissance culture." (Literary Encyclopedia) In 1590, Pope Sixtus V placed it on the Church's List of Prohibited Books, but exempted the expurgated edition prepared by Antonio Ciccarelli, which was the only edition that remained in circulation for more than 100 years. Finally, in 1733, Volpi issued an edition of Castiglione's collected works that disregarded Ciccarelli's corruptions and reverted to the original Aldine edition. Our edition is a reprint here of Volpi's text of The Courtier, and it exists in two states, unmutilated and mutilated. According to Razzollini, more than a thousand copies originally were printed, but only one hundred were issued, and only after the text, primarily Book IV, was extensively revised to incorporate Ciccarelli's changes and elisions, reducing the original text to 303 pages (vs. 352 pages in unmutilated copies). Our is one of the rare unmutilated copies, beautifully preserved. N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).