Details
BENIVIENI, Domenico (d.1507). Trattato in defensione e probazione della dottrina di Savonarola. Florence: Francesco Bonaccorsi, for Piero Pacini, 28 May 1496.
Chancery 4° (205 x 137 mm). Collation: a-e8 f6 g4 (a1r title, woodcut, text, f3v full-page woodcut, g4v colophon, publisher's device). 50 leaves. 38 lines. Type 3:88R. Woodcut ornamental initials, two woodcuts and publisher's device (Kristeller IB 49). Maroon morocco with Essling supralibros on sides and monogram in spine compartments, gilt turn-ins, marbled endpapers, edges marbled and gilt, by Lortic Frères.
Provenance: Victor Massena, Prince d'Essling, binding.
FIRST AND ONLY EDITION. Along with his brother the poet Girolamo Benivieni (see lot 10), Domenico was an ardent supporter of Savonarola. Without naming names Benivieni states that he has written this tract to counter those who have adopted pagan ways and study astrology and pagan poetry; he clearly is addressing Savonarola's powerful adversary, Lorenzo de' Medici and Lorenzo's humanist court. The large, expressive woodcut on f3v illustrates Savonarola's vision of the redeemed washing in the blood of Christ, a vision which he expounded in a public sermon on 10 April 1496, 8 days after Easter, in clear contravention of the Council of Eight's prohibition against preaching during the 2 months following Easter. The woodcut was cut specifically for this edition, and Sander considered it "une des compositions graphiques des plus grandioses de la Renaissance." In the background are views of Jerusalem, Florence and Rome, with Brunelleschi's dome of St. Peter prominent in the Rome view. Mario Ferrara assigns the woodcut to Sandro Botticelli, linking it with a work entitled "Trionfo della fede" discussed by Vasari (L'influenza del Savonarola sulla letteratura e l'arte del '400, Florence, 1952, 7 ff.)
HC 2784; BMC VI, 675 (IA. 27632); GW 3849; IGI 1480; Pellechet 2044; Polain(B) 556; Sander 896; Goff B-327.
Chancery 4° (205 x 137 mm). Collation: a-e8 f6 g4 (a1r title, woodcut, text, f3v full-page woodcut, g4v colophon, publisher's device). 50 leaves. 38 lines. Type 3:88R. Woodcut ornamental initials, two woodcuts and publisher's device (Kristeller IB 49). Maroon morocco with Essling supralibros on sides and monogram in spine compartments, gilt turn-ins, marbled endpapers, edges marbled and gilt, by Lortic Frères.
Provenance: Victor Massena, Prince d'Essling, binding.
FIRST AND ONLY EDITION. Along with his brother the poet Girolamo Benivieni (see lot 10), Domenico was an ardent supporter of Savonarola. Without naming names Benivieni states that he has written this tract to counter those who have adopted pagan ways and study astrology and pagan poetry; he clearly is addressing Savonarola's powerful adversary, Lorenzo de' Medici and Lorenzo's humanist court. The large, expressive woodcut on f3v illustrates Savonarola's vision of the redeemed washing in the blood of Christ, a vision which he expounded in a public sermon on 10 April 1496, 8 days after Easter, in clear contravention of the Council of Eight's prohibition against preaching during the 2 months following Easter. The woodcut was cut specifically for this edition, and Sander considered it "une des compositions graphiques des plus grandioses de la Renaissance." In the background are views of Jerusalem, Florence and Rome, with Brunelleschi's dome of St. Peter prominent in the Rome view. Mario Ferrara assigns the woodcut to Sandro Botticelli, linking it with a work entitled "Trionfo della fede" discussed by Vasari (L'influenza del Savonarola sulla letteratura e l'arte del '400, Florence, 1952, 7 ff.)
HC 2784; BMC VI, 675 (IA. 27632); GW 3849; IGI 1480; Pellechet 2044; Polain(B) 556; Sander 896; Goff B-327.