Filelfo, Francesco (1398-1481)

Satyrarum Hecatostichon Decades Decem

      Milan, Christopher Valdarfer, 13th November, 1476. - First Edition. 4to; 10.8 in x 7.7 in. 150 leaves (a-s8, tg). Goff P615, Hain 12917*, WG M33062, CIBN P-329 Later full vellum binding. Good condition. The " Satyrarum Hecatostichon Decades Decem" consists as the name suggests of ten books or decades. Each decade includes ten satires, which in turn are made up of exactly 100 verses. The first decade was most probably written in the winter of 1432. The whole cycle was finished in December 1448. The text is set elegantly simple reflecting the lyrical form. The initial letters if each line are printed in capitals and are a bit removed to the left. The headlines of the decades and satires are aligned to the middle and completely capitalised. By moving the next three lines in the printer achieved improved readibility and a better understanding of the poems. This simple but effective way of setting a text shows the age of this incunable. Even though Italy got its first printing workshop in 1465, Milan did not have a press until late in 1470. The work at hand therefore counts amongst the first works ever to be printed in Milan's workshops. Later full vellum binding, all edges of the book block red. Author and title of this incunabulum as well s the printing location and year are written in beautiful hand on the spine. [ Condition of the binding: Good (+) / Condition of the paper: Good / Further remarks: The binding is slightly rubbed. Paper is very well preserved, with occasional, very light foxing in the margins. First leaf with stronger foxing and two holes by an old ink mark. Text not affected. Last 12 leaves with small worm holes, some single letters touched. On the whole this is a very impressive early incunablua edition of the first printing workshops in Milan of one of Italy's greatest men of the renaissance. ] Francesco Filelfo (1398-1481) was an important Italian humanist of the renaissance period. He pioneered the discovery of classic Greek antiquity for Italian culture. While Petrarch and the Florentine students formed the beginning of the renaissance in the late 14th century by reintroducing Roman authors and promoting the study of Latin at university, Filelfo concentrated mostly on the studies of ancient Greece. After studying rhetorics and Latin the Venetian state sent him on diplomatic missions to Constantinople where Filelfo learned Greek under the famous teacher Chrysoloras. He also aquired a considerable collection of Codices which he imported to Italy for further studies. Apart from his pioneering translations of Aristotle, Plutarch, Xenophon and Lysias, Filelfo also wrote numerous lyrical texts. The poetic cycle at hand was written in the style of classic Greek satires which Filelfo acquired from his studies and introduced to his contemporaries. His work attitude was typical for the renaissance as he intensively studied the antique authors, taught at several universities and published various books. Feancesco Filelfo was one of the pioneers of humanism and paved the way for scholars like Erasmus of Rotterdam or the Italian humanist and poet Angelo Poliziano. The poetry cycle at hand was written at the height of Filelfo's artistic period. This first incunabula edition is therefore especially rare and preserved in truly beautifully condition. [Attributes: First Edition]