![DANTE ALIGHIERI. [The Divine Comedy, in Italian.] Comedia. Commentary by Christophoro Landino. Venice: Jacopo da Borgofranco, for Lucantonio Giunta, 23 January 1529.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2013/NYR/2013_NYR_02706_0157_000(dante_alighieri_the_divine_comedy_in_italian_comedia_commentary_by_chr093255).jpg?w=1)
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DANTE ALIGHIERI. [The Divine Comedy, in Italian.] Comedia. Commentary by Christophoro Landino. Venice: Jacopo da Borgofranco, for Lucantonio Giunta, 23 January 1529.
2o (300 x 205 mm). Title printed in red and black within woodcut architectural border, the side-pieces containing portraits of the five great Latin poets on the left and the Italian poets on the right, the lower panel contains the figures of the nine muses, each playing a different musical instrument; full-page woodcut portrait of Dante on title verso; and 99 woodcuts in the text. (Lacks final blank L8, u7 bound after u2.) 19th-century black morocco, sides with gilt arms of the Marquis de Villeneuve at center, edges gilt (some minor wear to spine). Provenance: Marquis de Villeneuve (1827-1893, binding); Federico Gentili di Giuseppe (booklabel of his grand-daughter Mrs. A.R. Salem); acquired from Bernard Quaritch, 1962.
The commentary by the Florentine humanist Christoforo Landino (1424-1492) was first printed in 1481. The woodcuts of this handsome edition are repeated from the 1491 edition (see previous lot), and according to Essling this is their last appearance. The fine woodcut portrait of the author appears here for the first time, and this is THE FIRST EDITION OF DANTE TO CONTAIN HIS PORTRAIT. Adams D-92; Essling 542; Mortimer Italian 145; Sander 2326.
2o (300 x 205 mm). Title printed in red and black within woodcut architectural border, the side-pieces containing portraits of the five great Latin poets on the left and the Italian poets on the right, the lower panel contains the figures of the nine muses, each playing a different musical instrument; full-page woodcut portrait of Dante on title verso; and 99 woodcuts in the text. (Lacks final blank L8, u7 bound after u2.) 19th-century black morocco, sides with gilt arms of the Marquis de Villeneuve at center, edges gilt (some minor wear to spine). Provenance: Marquis de Villeneuve (1827-1893, binding); Federico Gentili di Giuseppe (booklabel of his grand-daughter Mrs. A.R. Salem); acquired from Bernard Quaritch, 1962.
The commentary by the Florentine humanist Christoforo Landino (1424-1492) was first printed in 1481. The woodcuts of this handsome edition are repeated from the 1491 edition (see previous lot), and according to Essling this is their last appearance. The fine woodcut portrait of the author appears here for the first time, and this is THE FIRST EDITION OF DANTE TO CONTAIN HIS PORTRAIT. Adams D-92; Essling 542; Mortimer Italian 145; Sander 2326.