Dante Con L'Espositioni Di Christoforo Landino, Et D'Alessandro Vellvtello. Sopra La Sua Comedia Dell'Inferno, Del Purgatorio, & Del Paradiso. Con Tauole, Argomenti, & Allegorie, & Riformato, Riueduto, & Ridotto Alla Sua Vera Lettura, Per Francesco Sansovino Fiorentino.

Venetia: Appresso Gio. Battista, & Gio. Bernardo Sessa, 1596. Folio, early nineteenth century gilt green morocco with marbled paper boards, with incorrect date of 1556 on spine. [28], 163, [4], 164–392 ff. Woodcut profile portrait of Dante within ornamental frame incorporating angels and putti on title page, 96 woodcut illustrations.

The 1596 edition of this work first published by Sessa in 1564. An important, early critical edition of the Divine Comedy, edited by Francesco Sansovino (1521–1583) who brought together in this volume the commentary of Christopher Landino, first published in Florence, 1481, with that of Alessandro Vellutello, published by Francesco Marcolini in Venice, 1544. The illustrations, which first appeared in the Vellutello edition and were printed from the same blocks, are possibly by Giovanni Britto, an engraver employed by Marcolini.

CONDITION: Good, rubbed, head of spine chipped, 3.5” split along lower joint near head of spine, early ink outline around letters of “Dante” in title, repaired tear in lower right corner of title page altering the appearance of the 9 in the date, occasional light damp-stains and foxing.