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AMPHIAREO, Vespasiano.
Opera di Frate Vespasiano Amphiareo da Ferrara : nellaquale si insegna a scriuere varie sorti di lettere ...
Venice, Appresso Alessandro Gardano, 1580.
£2750.00
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Oblong 8vo. ff. [lvi]. Roman and Italic letter, woodcut initials, small woodcut of scribe's hand and pen on title, woodcut printer's device on verso of last, 100 woodcut calligrphic illustrations of various types and alphabets within woodcut borders, contemporary autographs of Francisci Liborati and Venannio Pellegrini on title, large ms. grotesque initial on fly, contemporary ex-libris above. Occasional very light spotting and marginal thumb mark, slight oil stain to gutter of first few ll. a very good, attractive copy, crisp and clean with very good impression of the plates, in c. 1700 half burgundy morocco over rose patterned paper boards, a.e.r. First published in 1548, Amphiareo's immensely influential work on the art of calligraphy was reprinted virtually unchanged until 1620. It is dedicated to Principe Francesco Donato. The first four, and last two pages contain very interesting technical instructions on preparing gum water for writing in gold, blue or ultramarine, a recipe for manufacture of sinoper and how to write with it, how to cut quills and for the manufacture of ink "che non fara muffa, ne seccia in fondo del vaso". These are followed by a magnificent series of woodcuts starting with various types of Italic, moving on to Gothic and neo-Batarde scripts and a series of illustrations of different alphabets, including elaborate and exotically decorated capitals as well as simpler, geometrically designed miniscules and Roman capitals. Included is a set of capitals derived from tree-trunks; another of heavy Gothic initials, hung with grotesque masks and providing a frame for naked cherubs, monkeys, storks and dogs. It was composed by Amphiareo originally for the benefit of merchants, but goes much further than hand writing. "But Amphiareo - and this is the real significance of his book - was dissatisfied with both the chancery and mercantile hands. He was voicing misgivings that were felt both in Venice and Rome. He explains that for many years he had been meditating a hand that could easily be used by chancery employees and merchants alike. …. He therefore devised a mixture of the mercantile and chancery styles 'like a mystic body'. This Friar's bastard (as he termed it) being narrow and elegant was, he believed, suited to chancery use and, being also cursive and rapid, would be good for the merchant and everybody else." Osley, Luminario p. 62. Amphiareo, a Franciscan, was born at Ferrara and is said to have taught writing for thirty years. This was his only book, the first edition of which is exceedingly rare. Being a much used practical work, copies of any edition in good condition are scarce. A very good copy of a major work in the history of lettering and calligraphy. Not in BM STC It.,Adams or Mortimer Harvard. Bonacini 59. Morison. 72 Writing Books. pp. 42-43. Morison/Barker. Early Italian Writing-Books. pp. 89-92. Becker, D. The Practice of Letters. Nos. 18-20. Berlin Kat 5183 (1st edn.) Osley, Luminario pp 58-62.
SN: L791.
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