DANTE ALIGHIERI (1265-1321) - SANSOVINO, Francesco (1521-1583) - Dante con l’espositioni di Christoforo Landino, et d’Alessandro Vellutello. Venice: Giovambattista, Marchio Sessa, & fratelli (appresso gli heredi di Francesco Rampazetto), 1578. Large-format copy on strong paper of this valuable and richly illustrated Dante edition called “del Nasone” due to the portrait of Dante on the title page. Second edition Sessa after the first of 1564, which uses the text of the Aldine edition of 1502 and combines for the first time the two authoritative comments by the Florentine humanist Cristoforo Landino and the Lucchese scholar Alessandro Vellutello, with the verses revised and corrected by Francesco Sansovino. The illustrative apparatus is from the Marcolini edition of 1544. Folio (342 x 246mm). Title with large woodcut illustration portraying Dante in a framed oval, numerous woodcut illustrations, historiated headpieces and initials, Sessa printer's device at colophon and in other parts of the work (lacking X6 and X7, slight dampstaining and spotting). Later vellum recased in recent years with new endpapers, modern manuscript titles on spine; preserved in an elegant modern box. Provenance: some underlining in red pencil.

Estimate € 1,800 - 2,000

Sold € 3,000