Plutarch's Vitae illustrium virorum

Plutarch's Vitae illustrium virorum
Giovanni Ragazzo, 1491
PLUTARCHUS (c.45-c.120). Vitae illustrium virorum. -SEXTUS Rufus. De historia Romana. Venice: Giovanni Ragazzo for Lucantonio de Giunta, 7 December 1491.

First illustrated edition of Plutarch’s Lives. Ragazzo’s productions, alongside those of Capcasa and Benalius, constitute “the most remarkable group of Venetian illustrated books of the early nineties” (BMC). The woodcut border had first appeared in the Malermi Italian Bible in 1490, but the two figurative woodcuts were cut for this edition. HCR 13129; IGI 7923; BMC V 501; Essling 594; Sander 5781; Goff P-833; ISTC ip00833000.

Median folio (326 x 222mm). 144 leaves. Two full woodcut borders, one with woodcut of Theseus slaying Eurytus and the other with a historiated initial depicting Cimon, smaller woodcut initials, woodcut printer’s device (some marginal dampstaining and some worming in gutter, some staining and toning). Contemporary filleted reversed goatskin (worn, with surface losses, in one place showing through to early printed wastepaper used to reinforce boards). Provenance: Franciscus Salix, Pharmacist (inscription on front flyleaf dated 1617).