Lot 157
Boccaccio, Giovanni
Rare Books, Manuscripts & Photographs
Auction: Rare Books, Manuscripts & Photographs | 09 May 2007
Description
Traite des mesadventures des personages signalez; traduit du Latin de Jean Boccace de CL.Witart. Paris: Nicolas Eve, 1578. First edition thus, 8vo., woodcut printers device of Adam and Eve with serpent on title (reproduced in Brunet), woodcut initials and headpieces, contemporary vellum over boards, occasional contemporary underlining and annotation, the odd spot or splash, verso of M6 slightly soiled, light paper discolouration
Footnote
Note: BM STC French Booksp 71; Brunet I, 989; Graesse I, 446. Not in Adams.
First edition of Claude Witart's translation of Boccacio's De casibus illustrium virorum libri novem and the first modern French translation. Witart in his long and interesting epistle discusses at length the difficulty of translation, being torn between a word for word interpretation and the exigencies of writing beautiful French, and the difficulty of using the harsh and crude language that Boccacio occasionally demands.
Provenance: 19th century printed ex-libris on front pastedown of Germain Barré, purchase record from Brunet (with price) and earlier similar to or from Filheul above.