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Details
MAGNUS, Olaus (1490-1558). Historia de gentibus septentrionalibus. Rome: Giovanni Maria Viotto, January 1555.
2° (264 x 20mm). Roman type, shoulder notes. Full-page woodcut map of Scandinavia and 472 woodcut scenes, 4 of which are full-page, often with 2-part ornamental border which also appears as a tailpiece, full-page printer's device on MM1r, repeated at end, woodcut historiated initials. (Some light browning, slightly heavier at upper margin, a few tears neatly repaired, title repaired at hinge, contemporary paper repair to leaf S2, text headline of map shaved.) 18th-century calf, gilt spine, red edges (restored), in a 19th-century box. Provenance: C. ?Darie (title signature); Bo Einarsson (bookplate).
FIRST EDITION of the first geographical and ethnographical survey of Scandinavia. Although forced to live in religious exile due to the establishment of a national Lutheran church in Sweden in 1524, Olaus devoted much of his life to chronicling his native country and championing Scandinavian history and culture in Europe. In 1539 he published a large and elaborate map consisting of nine woodblocks, the Carta marina, and soon thereafter began work on his monumental Historia. In Lynam's opinion, the Historia is the culmination of Olaus's life work, superceding the Carta marina. Olaus was personally involved in the production of the Historia. Having moved to Rome in 1541 with his brother, Johannes Magnus, Archbishop of Uppsala, Olaus had a press installed in St. Birgitta's house for printing the Historia, supervised by Viotto. The illustrations form an important part of his history, and Olaus discusses their didactic value at length in the preface. The woodcuts illustrate a huge range of subjects (geography, local customs, daily life, warfare, trades and occupations, animals and fish). While several illustrations had appeared in earlier works (see Mortimer for a full discussion), the majority were cut for this edition and appear here for the first time. They were then re-used at Venice for an Italian translation of the work in 1565 and copied for several later editions at Antwerp and Basel. Cf. E.Lynam, The Carta marina of Olaus Magnus, 1949. Adams M-140; Brunet III:1302; Mortimer, Harvard Italian 270; Sabin 43830.
2° (264 x 20mm). Roman type, shoulder notes. Full-page woodcut map of Scandinavia and 472 woodcut scenes, 4 of which are full-page, often with 2-part ornamental border which also appears as a tailpiece, full-page printer's device on MM1r, repeated at end, woodcut historiated initials. (Some light browning, slightly heavier at upper margin, a few tears neatly repaired, title repaired at hinge, contemporary paper repair to leaf S2, text headline of map shaved.) 18th-century calf, gilt spine, red edges (restored), in a 19th-century box. Provenance: C. ?Darie (title signature); Bo Einarsson (bookplate).
FIRST EDITION of the first geographical and ethnographical survey of Scandinavia. Although forced to live in religious exile due to the establishment of a national Lutheran church in Sweden in 1524, Olaus devoted much of his life to chronicling his native country and championing Scandinavian history and culture in Europe. In 1539 he published a large and elaborate map consisting of nine woodblocks, the Carta marina, and soon thereafter began work on his monumental Historia. In Lynam's opinion, the Historia is the culmination of Olaus's life work, superceding the Carta marina. Olaus was personally involved in the production of the Historia. Having moved to Rome in 1541 with his brother, Johannes Magnus, Archbishop of Uppsala, Olaus had a press installed in St. Birgitta's house for printing the Historia, supervised by Viotto. The illustrations form an important part of his history, and Olaus discusses their didactic value at length in the preface. The woodcuts illustrate a huge range of subjects (geography, local customs, daily life, warfare, trades and occupations, animals and fish). While several illustrations had appeared in earlier works (see Mortimer for a full discussion), the majority were cut for this edition and appear here for the first time. They were then re-used at Venice for an Italian translation of the work in 1565 and copied for several later editions at Antwerp and Basel. Cf. E.Lynam, The Carta marina of Olaus Magnus, 1949. Adams M-140; Brunet III:1302; Mortimer, Harvard Italian 270; Sabin 43830.