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ICIÁR, Juan de (B. 1522). Arte subtilissima, por la qual se ensena a escrevir perfectamente, hecho y experimentado, y agora; de nuevo anadido. Zaragoza: Pedro Bernuz, 1550.
4o (200 x 141 mm). Woodcut title-page with letterpress imprint, woodcut portrait of Iciár on A4v, woodcut borders on most pages, most pages with woodcut text and decoration, some white-on-black, printer's device on final leaf. (Internal marginal tear on E5, some browning and spotting.) Contemporary vellum. Provenance: Comte Jacques de la Beraudiere (bookplate); Hippolyte Destailleur (notes on flyleaf); Carl W. Jones (bookplate); acquired from John Howell, 1978.
Second and enlarged edition, of Iciár's Recopilación subtilissima, first published in Zaragosa in 1548. Iciár was one of the leading authorities on Spanish printing, called "the patriarch and founder of Spanish calligraphy; author of the first didactic treatise on this material, and the best calligrapher of his time, not only in Spain, but in all Europe" (Cotarelo y Mori, Diccionario biográfico y bibliográfico de calígrafos españoles, p.350). His specimen books represent one of the high points of sixteenth-centuty Iberian printing. Born in Vizcaya, Iciár (or Yciár) spent most of his life in Aragon, though it is thought he studied in Italy for a time, as his characters show the influence of contemporary Italian printers Arrighi, Tagliente and Palatino. The book was very popular and appeared in seven editions through 1566. Bonacini 2074; Brunet V:1506; Palau 117834.
4o (200 x 141 mm). Woodcut title-page with letterpress imprint, woodcut portrait of Iciár on A4v, woodcut borders on most pages, most pages with woodcut text and decoration, some white-on-black, printer's device on final leaf. (Internal marginal tear on E5, some browning and spotting.) Contemporary vellum. Provenance: Comte Jacques de la Beraudiere (bookplate); Hippolyte Destailleur (notes on flyleaf); Carl W. Jones (bookplate); acquired from John Howell, 1978.
Second and enlarged edition, of Iciár's Recopilación subtilissima, first published in Zaragosa in 1548. Iciár was one of the leading authorities on Spanish printing, called "the patriarch and founder of Spanish calligraphy; author of the first didactic treatise on this material, and the best calligrapher of his time, not only in Spain, but in all Europe" (Cotarelo y Mori, Diccionario biográfico y bibliográfico de calígrafos españoles, p.350). His specimen books represent one of the high points of sixteenth-centuty Iberian printing. Born in Vizcaya, Iciár (or Yciár) spent most of his life in Aragon, though it is thought he studied in Italy for a time, as his characters show the influence of contemporary Italian printers Arrighi, Tagliente and Palatino. The book was very popular and appeared in seven editions through 1566. Bonacini 2074; Brunet V:1506; Palau 117834.