Beschreibung:

De claris mulieribus. Edited by Albertus de Placentia and Augustinus de Casali Maiori. Ferrara: Laurentius de Rubeis, de Valentia, 29 April 1497. Folio (297 x 202 mm). 175 leaves (of 176 lacking s2). Xylographic title; 2 full-page woodcuts (the author presenting his book to Beatrice of Aragon, widow of Matthias Corvinus, and 8 scenes from the life of the Virgin), both enclosed in identical woodcut borders, a full woodcut border enclosing the beginning of the main body of text, the first two with some light yellow coloring in a few places; 170 (of 172) woodcut portraits (including 116 repeats); large historiated woodcut initial M; numerous decorative 4-line initials, white on black. Blindstamped calf antique, some rubbing to corners, cloth folding case. Minor marginal staining. Provenance: Clifford Rattey (bookplate). FIRST EDITION, ONE OF THE GREAT MONUMENTS OF ITALIAN RENAISSANCE WOOD-ENGRAVING. the work recounts the lives of women famous in history and mythology, each accompanied by a woodcut portrait. At least seven of the cuts towards the end are not repeated, and show such life like detail that it is generally agreed that they were taken from contemporary portraits. Five of the seven have been identified, as Bianca Maria Sforza, Catherina Countess of Forlì and Imola, Leonora of Aragon, wife of Ercole d'Este, Danisella Trivulzia, and Cassandra Fidelis. BMC VI, 613; BSB Ink-120; Goff J-204; GW M10959; HC *2813; Hind II, pp 510-12; Lippmann, Wood-engraving in Italy 153.