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Giovanni Boccaccio Printed Works

Medium: Printed

Number of items: 6,000 items (dispersed).

The Library holds 96 from a total of 192 15th- and 16th-century editions of Boccaccio recorded by in the bibliography of Alberto Bacchi della Lega, Serie delle edizioni delle opere di Giovanni Boccacci latine, volgari, tradotte e transformate (Bologna: Romagnoli, 1875).

The most significant item is the only surviving complete copy of the Venetian 1471 edition of the Decameron printed by Christopher Valdarfer, which was sold by the Duke of Roxburghe in 1812 for the then record price of £2,200. However, the Library does also have what is now thought to be the editio princeps: the Neapolitan Deo Gratias edition, previously dated 1472 but now dated 1470 (missing the final two leaves). There are all but two of the incunable editions of the Decameron and a total of 47 editions present up to 1600.

Especially noteworthy are the beautiful and rare Aldine edition of 1522, the famous Florentine edition of 1527 issued by Giunta, and the two notoriously emended texts of Ruscelli (1552) and Salviati (1587).

Of the 17 early editions of Ameto, the Library possesses 12 (1520-1723).

The library also holds:

  • Twelve of a possible 23 editions of Il Filocolo (1472-1724);
  • Eleven editions of La Fiametta (1480-1800);
  • Six editions of Corbaccio (1516-1723);
  • Two of La Vita di Dante (1576-1724);
  • Three of La Teseida (1475-1819);
  • Three of Il Filostrato (1480-1789);
  • Four of Ninfale Fiesolano (1480-1778);
  • Three of the Amorosa Visione (1521-1549).

There are also several editions of Boccaccio's Latin works.

Further information:

Recorded in Library Search.

Location:


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