An Exquisite Lyonese Renaissance Arabesque Binding for Cicero’s Epistolae ad Atticum

CICERO, Marcus Tullius. Epistolae ad Atticum, ad Brutum, et ad Quintum fratrem Lugduni (Lyon): Apud Antonium Gryphium, 1567

A collection of letters from Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 BC – 43 BC) to his close friend Titus Pomponius Atticus (110 BC – 32 BC) between 68 and 43 BCE, compiled by Cicero’s personal secretary Tiro. This edition was edited by the humanist Johannes Michael Brutus (1517-1592). A fine example of a Lyonese Renaissance binding, almost certainly executed locally for the Gryphius edition.

Bindings of this type, characterised by their dense arabesque ornament and central oval reserve, reflect the transmission of Italian decorative vocabulary into the Lyon book trade during the mid-16th century. The survival of the gauffered edges, together with the strong impressions of the gilt tooling, makes this a particularly appealing specimen of the style.

16mo (120 x 70 mm)

Provenance
1. Early ownership inscription to front flyleaf (“Gennaro Rosso”?) overlapping earlier description.
2. Later note identifying the binding as Lyonese.

References
USTC 139784; French Vernacular Books 62215.
No copies of this edition recorded in UK or US libraries, only 1 in Bologna.

Description
803, [123] pp. Collation: a-z8 A-Z8 aa-mm8. Printer’s device on title, woodcut initials.

Binding
Contemporary Lyonese gilt-tooled morocco binding. Covers framed by double fillet borders and richly decorated in gilt with an elaborate arabesque design, composed of tightly interlaced scrolling foliage arranged
symmetrically around a central oval cartouche, left blank. Negative space densely tooled in a fine, almost textile-like pattern, characteristic of mid-16th century Lyon bindings influenced by Italian Renaissance
ornament. Spine divided into compartments, each gilt with foliate tools. Edges gauffered with pointillé and foliate ornament.

Condition
A well-preserved copy with only light age-toning and occasional marks, small marginal tear to M3. Inscriptions to flyleaf and titlepage, overwritten