Livius, [Ab urbe condita], Venice, 1520, later vellum

Titus Livius

T. Livius Patavinus historicus duobus libris auctus cum L. Flori epitome. Addito indice copioso et Leonardo Aretino de primo bello punico. Ac imaginibus res gestas exprimentibus. (Venice: Melchiorre Sessa and Pietro Ravani, 3 May 1520)

folio (305 x 200mm.), title printed in gothic type in red and black with woodcut portrait of Livy and woodcut printer's device, different woodcut device on final verso, woodcut initials, woodcut of Livy's epitaph (with extensive manuscript note beneath), first leaf of text with woodcut illustration within woodcut border, woodcut illustration at the start of each chapter, with final blank leaf, manuscript annotations (some marginal ones cropped), later vellum rebacked retaining original marbled endleaves, a few wormholes at beginning, occasional light staining

The series of fine woodcut illustrations is by Zoan Andrea. The portrait is based on a relief on the Palazzo della Ragione in Padua, Livy's home town, but which is now considered to relate to his freedman, Titus Livius Halys.

LITERATURE:

Edit16 30060; Mortimer Harvard Italian 261; Sander 4004