![TERENTIUS AFER, Publius (185-159 B.C.). Comoediae. Edited by J. Thierry. Paris: Benoit Prévost for Jean de Roigny, 1552 [but 16 December 1551]. 2º (316 x 210mm). 151 woodcut illustration in the text, including repeats, woodcut criblé initials. (The final leaf [YY6] may be the Privilege leaf placed immediately after the title.) Contemporary French calf, sides with centred arabesque panel with black leather on-lays, outer border of black leather framed by gilt fillets, flat spine with gilt title in a shield in the second compartment, the other compartments with gilt ornaments with black leather onlay, gilt edges (minor repairs). Provenance: Johann Adolph Freitag (inscription on title, dated 1653) – D. Freitag (inscription on title dated 1670) -- Villlefranche sur Saone, College of Notre Dame de Mongré (stamp; college liquidated in 1911, removed to Yzeure).](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2014/CSK/2014_CSK_10266_0190_000(terentius_afer_publius_comoediae_edited_by_j_thierry_paris_benoit_prev102731).jpg?w=1)
Details
TERENTIUS AFER, Publius (185-159 B.C.). Comoediae. Edited by J. Thierry. Paris: Benoit Prévost for Jean de Roigny, 1552 [but 16 December 1551]. 2º (316 x 210mm). 151 woodcut illustration in the text, including repeats, woodcut criblé initials. (The final leaf [YY6] may be the Privilege leaf placed immediately after the title.) Contemporary French calf, sides with centred arabesque panel with black leather on-lays, outer border of black leather framed by gilt fillets, flat spine with gilt title in a shield in the second compartment, the other compartments with gilt ornaments with black leather onlay, gilt edges (minor repairs). Provenance: Johann Adolph Freitag (inscription on title, dated 1653) – D. Freitag (inscription on title dated 1670) -- Villlefranche sur Saone, College of Notre Dame de Mongré (stamp; college liquidated in 1911, removed to Yzeure).
First Thierry edition, the first issue, dated December 1551 rather than January 1552. 'The text, notes and much of the additional commentary in this edition are reprinted from Girolamo Scoto’s Venice edition of 1545, and the scene cuts are extremely close copies of the Italian blocks used by Scoto’ (Mortimer). The history of the blocks is an interesting one. The first illustrated Terence was Trechsel’s edition of 1493, followed by Simon de Luere’s edition of 1497 and then the blocks passed through numerous editions in Venice including Lazzaro dei Soardis (3 editions of 1499, 1511 and 1515). 'They were again reduced and simplified in the Scoto edition. It is interesting to find Prévost copying for this edition an Italian adaptation of a series which was French in origin' (Mortimer). Brunet V, 714; Mortimer Harvard French, 512.
First Thierry edition, the first issue, dated December 1551 rather than January 1552. 'The text, notes and much of the additional commentary in this edition are reprinted from Girolamo Scoto’s Venice edition of 1545, and the scene cuts are extremely close copies of the Italian blocks used by Scoto’ (Mortimer). The history of the blocks is an interesting one. The first illustrated Terence was Trechsel’s edition of 1493, followed by Simon de Luere’s edition of 1497 and then the blocks passed through numerous editions in Venice including Lazzaro dei Soardis (3 editions of 1499, 1511 and 1515). 'They were again reduced and simplified in the Scoto edition. It is interesting to find Prévost copying for this edition an Italian adaptation of a series which was French in origin' (Mortimer). Brunet V, 714; Mortimer Harvard French, 512.
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