Lettere Di Molte Valorose Donne, Nelle Quali Chiaramente Appare Non Esser Ne Di Eloquentia Ne Di Dottrina Alli Huomini Inferiori

[Ortensio LANDO, compilor].

Lettere Di Molte Valorose Donne, Nelle Quali Chiaramente Appare Non Esser Ne Di Eloquentia Ne Di Dottrina Alli Huomini Inferiori. Venice: Appresso Gabriel Giolito De Ferrari, 1548 [-1549]. Small octavo (6 1/4 x 4 1/4in; 159 x 107mm). Leaves [1-] 161 [-167].  (Lacking X8 [probably a final blank leaf], title holed and repaired, A3 with as small repair at foot of leaf, R1 with small split, some light old waterstaining.) Contemporary Italian brownish-red morocco binding, tooled in silver (now oxidized), the covers with a wide outer border composed of rules and a decorative roll, the central panels with flowers and a vase tool, spine in four compartments with raised bands, one of the flower head tools reappearing on the spine, paper labels to spine (rubbed, damage to the head and foot of the spine).

Provenance: poss. Princess Nora, of Liechtenstein (inscription dated 27 June 1969).

First edition in a contemporary binding and a rare work, being a collection of letters in Italian from some of the most illustrious women in Italy, the majority from Milan and Brescia, collected by Ortensio Lando (1512-1553), then living in Venice. According to Bongi, Lando wrote most of the pieces himself. In his introductory epistle to Sigismondo Rovello, Bartolomeo Pestalozzi indicates the role of Lando: "Hortensius Landus collegit", and that of Ottaviano Raverta: "suadenteque Octavianus Raverta in volumen redegit". It seems, however, that this may indeed be a genuine collection composed to illuminate patterns of female behavior, exalting the mistresses of the various noble houses and laying claim to moral and social equality with men. This is done by referencing 'exempla' drawn from mythology and ancient history. "The book is dedicated to Sigismondo Rovello, who was the English ambassador at Venice. Lando's name is, as usual, not directly named, but in some sonnets at the end written by Dolce, Parabosco, Aretino, and Sansovino he is praised for having collected the contents of the volume. In a Latin letter by Bartolomeo Pestalozza he says that this cost Lando much labour and much money, and that the publication was made at the request of Ottaviano Raverta, the bishop-elect of Terracina." (W.E.A. Axon "Ortensiuo Landi: A Humorist of the Renaissance").

Bongi, I, 213-214 (calling for 261 leaves) ; Vaganay, 1548, n° 12 (folllowing Fontanini, I, 232) ; Ascarelli-Menato, p. 373-375 ; Panizzi, 3198.