La Divina Comedia di Dante, Di Nuovo Alla Sua Vera lettione ridotta con lo aiuto di molti antichissimi esemplari. Con Argomenti, et Allegorie per Ciascun Canto, & Apostille nel margine. Et Indice Copiosissimo di tutti i Vocaboli pin importanti usati dal Poeta, con la sposition loro. [The Divine Comedy].

DANTE ALIGHIERI,.

Item Number: 122594

In Vinegia: Apresso Gabriel Giolito de Ferrari, et Fratelli, 1555.

Scarce and highly sought after 16th century illustrated edition of Dante’s masterpiece; one of the rarest editions of the Commedia printed in the 16th century and the first to print the adjective ‘Divina’ on the title page. 12mo, bound in full vellum, all edges red, illustrated with 12 engravings within the text, woodcut initials and headpieces, colophon dated 1554. With a dedication to Coriolano Martirano, sonnet by Boccaccio, biography of Dante by Lodovico Dolce,  dictionary of “vocaboli più oscuri” and Index of marginal notes. The introduction of the adjective ‘Divine’ is attributed to Lodovico Dolce who authored the commentary printed in this edition which was never reprinted by Giolito. In near fine condition with light restoration to the title page which has been trimmed. Scarce with only 3 copies having appeared at auction in the past 90 years.

Widely considered the most important work of Italian literature and one of the greatest works of world literature, Dante's Divine Comedy takes as its literal subject the state of the soul after death and presents an image of divine justice meted out as due punishment or reward. The work was originally simply titled Comedìa (so also in the first printed edition, published in 1472), Tuscan for "Comedy", and was later adjusted to the modern Italian Commedia. The adjective Divina was added by Giovanni Boccaccio, in reference to the work's subject matter and lofty style, and the first edition to name the poem Divina Comedia was that of Venetian humanist Lodovico Dolce, published in 1555 by Gabriele Giolito de' Ferrari.