Pseudo-Dionysius's Opera

Pseudo-Dionysius's Opera
Johannes Higman and Wolfgang Hopyl, 1498
DIONYSIUS AREOPAGITICA, Pseudo (5th-6th centuries CE). Opera. Translated by Ambrosius Traversarius. Paris: Johannes Higman and Wolfgang Hopyl, 6 February 1498.

Second edition of the the wild vision of the great Christian neo-platonist. The author of the Corpus Areopagiticum claims to be Dionysius the Areopagite, follower of Saint Paul, but this attribution has been debated from an early period. The first edition of Traversari's translation was printed in Bruges by Colard Mansion in 1479; this second edition has been revised by Jacques Lefèvre d'Étaples, who was introduced to the works of Pseudo-Dionysius by Marsilio Ficino during his trip to Italy in 1491-92. HC 6233* = 6238 (II); BMC VIII 140; BSB-Ink D-172; GW 8409; Bod-inc D-089; CIBN D-147; Goff D-240; ISTC id00240000.

Chancery folio (264 x 194mm). 121 leaves (of 122, without final blank). Large woodcut on title page, with woodcut diagrams throughout (top of title page reinforced with old paper, just touching woodcut border, some staining and spotting, some printed marginal notes shaved). Modern brown morocco by James Macdonald. Provenance: acquired from Livres rares Georges Heilbrun, Paris, 22 July 1964.