Hyginus's Poeticon astronomicon

Hyginus's Poeticon astronomicon
Thomas de Blavis, 1488
HYGINUS, Caius Julius (Pseudo?, fl. 2nd century CE). Poeticon astronomicon. Edited by Jacobus Sentinus and Johannes Lucilius Santritter. Venice: Thomas de Blavis de Alexandria, 7 June 1488.

An illustrated guide to the ancient science of the sky. This edition is based on that of Ratdolt, copying its woodcuts—which were the first printed illustrations of the ancient figurative heavens and much copied by contemporary publishers, including Aldus. The Poeticon astronomicon explains the basics of astronomy and the zodiac in verse, mingling science with myth and iconography. Although attributed to Caius Julius Hyginus, superintendent of the Palatine library, this work was likely composed in the second century CE, perhaps as an abridgement or epitome of a lost work by the Augustan Hyginus. HC 9064; GW 13680; BMC V 318; Bod-inc H-253; IGI 4961; Klebs 527.4; Essling 287; Sander 3474; Goff H-562; ISTC ih00562000.

Chancery quarto (188 x 140mm). 56 leaves. Woodcut illustrations and diagrams (some soiling and dampstaining). Modern brown morocco. Provenance: scattered marginalia (trimmed) – Alexander Peckover (1830-1919; bookplate).