First illustrated edition of Guarini’s »Pastor Fido«, a pivotal book for the history of stage design, 2nd printing, 1603

Battista Guarini: Il Pastor Fido. Tragicommedia Pastorale. (...) Ora in questa XXVII impressione di curiose, & dotte Annotationi arrichiotto, & di bellissime Figure in rame ornato. Con un Compendio di Poesia (...) With engraved title leaf, 7 etched plates, where of 1 a portrait of the author after a drawing by Lucas Killian, the others engraved by Francesco Valegio, as well as numerous wood-cut head- and tailpieces and pictorial initials (some repeated). Venice: Gio. Battista Ciotti, [1603].

8vo. 260 numbered leaves. Engraving, wood-cut and letterpress, in later vellum binding over boards with gilt ornamental spine title on leather label and marbled cut.

2nd printing of the first illustrated edition of probably the most influential pastoral play of literary history.

Edition: According to Crescimbeni present edition of Guarini's core work is the most remarkable of all, as far as the accuracy of the text and the beauty of the illustrations is concerned. As in some other copies in institutional holdings this copy however lacks the »Compendio di Poesia« (70 pp.), Guarini's final contribution to the debate on dramatic, in particular tragicomical principles which was triggered by the early success of his play.

Illustration: The illustrated edition is most significant for the history of theatrical history, as 6 of the plates etched by Francesco Valegio show in detail stage-settings prepared by Aleotti for the Mantuan court in 1598: „La scenografia cosi detta »didascalica« si trova impiegata – forse per la prima volta in maniera cosi sistematica – nel Pastor Fido di G. B. Guarini nell' edizione Ciotti di Venezia, stampata in 1602... La consideraione attenta di una serie di documenti... ci ha permesso di stabilire con tutta certezza che le scene e gli apparati spettacolari di questa rappresentazione del Pastor Fido furono opera dell'ingegnere ferrarese G. B. Aleotti detto l'Argento...“ (Cavicchi)

Condition: »Compendio di Poesia«. – Vellum with some wear. Title leaf with one fault (not affecting the printing) and tear, minor trimming at top edge. Some leaves with slight staining. Pagination errors: „14 reads „4“, „69 reads „99“, „112 reads „121“, „131 reads „134“, „142 reads „124“, „168 reads „186“, „187 reads „287“, „224 reads „220“ and „244 reads „090“.

Provenance: 19th ct. label of Libreria Cecchi, Firenze, on front paste-down; Karl Schalk (1851-1919), renown Austrian historian, with his ownership entry dated 1909, as well as his annotations with ink and pencil on fly leaf recto and verso.

References: Brunet II, 1775; Crescimbeni, II, 479; Folger 515; Gamba 556; Adriano Cavicchi: La Scenografia dell' Aminta e la tradizione scenografica pastorale ferrarese del sec. XVI. Firenze: 1971, pp. 63-8 (thanks to Diana Parikian).