Περὶ πρόνοιας … — Rome 1545

Περὶ πρόνοιας λόγοι δέκα. De providentia sermones X. Nunc primum in lucem editi. — Romae M.D.XXXXV. [Rome, Antonio Blado, 1545].

Editio princeps.

8vo (155 x 99 mm).

α-ο⁸π⁷ (without last blank): 255 p. Marginal foxing. 19th century quarter calf, gilt title on spine. Binding is rubbed. Titel in Greek on fore-edge.

Adams T 485; Hoffmann III² 494 (sehr seltene Ausgabe); Fumagalli, Catalogo delle edizioni romane di Antonio Blado Asolano ed eredi, I 83 (edizione assai bella e rara).

The fine type (20 lines = 89-90 mm) was cut by Giovanni Onorio da Maglie, and first used in volumes 2-4 of Eustathius‘ commentary of Homer – Rome, Blado, 1543. (See E. Layton, The History of a Sixteenth Century Greek Type Revised, in: The Historical Review. I. 2004. pp. 39-50, p. 42).

Edited by Niccolò Maiorani, and dedicated to cardinal Niccolò Ridolfi (1501-1550), grandson of Lorenzo il Magnifico, his arms on title-page. Rodolfi was one of the great 16th century collectors. About 618 Greek manuscripts, beginning with 9th century mss., were in is library, in 1527 he bought about 130 mss. in Greek and Latin from Lascaris.

The little woodcut beyond Ridolfi’s arms shows the reverse of a Roman coin in honour of Augustus. „S C“ means „Senatus consulto“, between those two letters the façade of the Ara Providentiae Augusti is shown.

Provenance: stamp of the Collegium Urbanum de Propaganda Fide: CVPF in the lower right corner of the title-page.