‎MARTIALIS, MARCUS VALERIUS.‎
‎Epigrammata. Cum Domitii Calderini commentariis. - [CALDERINI'S COMMENTARY ON MARTIAL'S EPIGRAMS]‎

‎Venice, Baptista de Tortis, 17 July 1485. Small folio (322x210 mm). Bound later in a full vellum binding of a a sprinkled antiphonary leaf. Five raised bands and gilt leather title labels to spine. Ink stains to lower back board. Hinges slightly cracked. Inner front hinge reinforced, also from verso af a1 - restoration also cracked. Small wormholes to first and last leaves, and first couple of leaves a bit frayed at edges. Two closed marginal tears to a1 and reattachment of upper blank part of a2 (ca. 1 cm, far from touching text). c2 with a closed tear and a restoration to lower blank part, not touching text. c7 with a closed tear, a bit crudely done, but no loss, and a restoration to lower blank part, not affecting text. A few leaves a bit brownspotted, but mostly nice, clean, and fresh. A4 possibly washed. Contemporary or near-contemporary underlinings, markings, inserted numberings, and marginal notes. 15 Handpainted initials in red and red/blue, of varying sizes, between ca. 1x1,5 cm and 4x3cm. Old owner's name crossed out to top of a1. 19th century owner's signature to inside of front board (Albert Priou). Text of varying length surrounded by 63 lines of commentary. 172 leaves (a-u8 x-y6). Last leaf (being the register) with large woodcut printer's devise. ‎

Reference : 60460

‎A beautiful and rare incunable-edition of Martial's Epigrams, being the seventh edition containing Domizio Calderini's (1446-1478) highly important commentary. With no known ancient or Medieval commentaries on Martial's work, Calderini's commentary, first printed in 1474 by Jacobus Rubeus in Venice, constitutes the earliest commentary on the Epigrams. In addition to the present work, Calderini produced extensive commentaries on the works of Vergil, Propertius, Juvenal and Statius, making him one of the most prolific humanist commentators on Latin poetry. Although Martial, in his own words, was known all over the world in antiquity, the interest in his poetry decreased significantly in the Middle Ages, perhaps as a result of the pronounced obscenity that characterises his poetry. However, things took a turn in the 15th century, and Calderini's commentary may well be considered one of the earliest scholarly treatments of the Epigrams. Containing the earliest reference to the codex as a format used for literature, Martial's Epigrams have played an immensely important role in the history of the book. With roughly one in eight of the epigrams concerned with books and reading, no work of classical literature gives a better insight into ancient book culture. ISTC im00308000 Hain *10819.‎