GIOVIO (Paolo). Lot n° 13

Elogia virorum bellica virtute illustrium. Basel, Pietro Perna, 1575. In-folio, half bronze morocco with corners, spine decorated, smooth edges (Binding of the beginning of the 19th century). First illustrated edition. Paolo Giovio (1483-1552), bishop of Nocera de' Pagani, remains one of the most famous historiographers of the Italian wars. The first edition of this work on the strategists and other illustrious men of war, from Romulus to Como de Medici, was published in Florence in 1551. The illustration is the work of Tobias Stimmer, who was sent by the publisher to Como to copy the paintings kept in the author's gallery. It consists of a beautiful allegorical frame on the title, a portrait of the author, a full-page figure representing his tomb, and 128 woodcut mid-page portraits printed in ornamented frames (including a dozen frames without portraits). Corners rubbed, faint spotting, slight scratching to the address on the title and colophon. Perini, Perna, n°250 - Adams, G-644.