Dante, Divina commedia, illustrated by Dali, Rome, 1963-64, 7 volumes

[DALÍ, SALVADOR] DANTE ALIGHIERI

La divina commedia. Illustrazioni di Dali. Rome: Salani, 1963-1964

7 volumes, large 4to (337 x 263mm.), copy number LIII of an edition of 3044 copies, one of 100 copies printed by the Stamperia Valdonega of Verona on paper hand-made by Fratelli Magnani of Pescia and with a second suite of prints, 100 plates after Dali in the main work, the extra suite of plates in 3 printed folders within a single slipcase, fascia di controllo slip in 5 volumes, with the first state of the rubrica della tiratura retained at the end of volumes 4 and 6, the replacement rubriche still in the envelope (slightly worn) as issued by Salani, uncut and loose as issued in paper wrappers within patterned card covers and slipcases, lacking 11 plates from the extra suite (Inferno 27 and 31, Purgatorio 8, 16, 26, 28-29, 31, Paradiso 7, 31, 33), joints of covers cracked, slipcases broken

A beautifully printed edition of Dante, with evocative images by Dali. The watercolour originals were commissioned for the anniversary of Dante's birth (1964), and were first exhibited in Rome in 1954; they were subsequently exhibited in Paris and published to accompany a French translation of Dante in 1963. The present edition follows the design of the French edition, though it additionally includes a list of the plates at the end of each volume together with an explanatory caption.