MATTIOLI, PIETRO ANDREA

Commentarii in VI libros Pedacii Dioscoridis Anazarbei de medica materia. Venice: Felice Valgrisi, 1583

2 volumes, folio (330 x 226mm.), woodcut printer’s device on titles and final verso, woodcut initials, full-page hand-coloured portrait of the author, numerous woodcut illustrations of plants, flowers, and animals (some hand-coloured), MS index of English names at end, contemporary red morocco, new endpapers, some occasional soiling, a few leaves trimmed or wormed, vol.1 title strengthened, vol.2 ff⁵ worn with loss, a few leaves in vol.2 possibly supplied (e.g.l², n⁷, s⁶), binding rebacked

Mattioli’s commentary on Dioscorides was first published in Italian in 1544 (unillustrated) and in Latin in 1554. The Latin edition was much expanded, with new information on herbs and plants and synonyms in other languages supplied by Mattioli. The large woodcuts of animals and plants, by Giorgio Liberale and Wolfgang Meyerpeck, first appeared in the New Kreüterbuch of 1563 and the Commentarii of♚ 1565 respecti𝓰vely. This is the seventh Latin edition printed by Valgrisi.

LITERATURE:

Censimento 16 CNC 35759; A Cleveland Herbal 124; Hunt 145

PROVENANCE:

J. Henry Middleton and Edward Walker, ownershipꦯ inscriptions