Les Images Des Dieux Des Anciens, Contenans Les Idoles, Coustumes, ceremonies & autres choses appartenans à la Religion des payens. Recuillies premierement & exposees en Italien par le Seigneur Vincent Cartari de Rhege, & maintenant traduites en François & augmentées par Antoine Du Verdier, Seigneur de Vauprivas, Conseiller du Roy, controlleur general de ses finances en la charge & generalité de Lyon. Avec deux Tables, l'une des lieux & matieres plus notables, & l'autre des pourtraicts contenus en ce livre.
One of the eighty-eight illustrations, which should have been printed on p. 575, is printed on the verso of p.637, with an explanatory 'Advertissement'.
Contents
[T.p.] - Extraict du privilege du Roy - Preface D'Antoine Du Verdier ... A Monseigneur D'Arques - Ad clar. Anton. Verderium ... Claudii Verderii eiusdem filii ... versus - [Portrait of Verdier] - [Text, with 88 woodcut illustrations] - Advertissement - Table ... Pour Trouver Les Lieux Et Matieres - Autre Table, Contenant Les Pourtraicts Des Dieux Et Deesses, dessignez en ce livre; Fautes survenues en l'impression; [colophon].
Responsibility Note
Neither the portrait nor any of the plates is signed.
The printer is named in the colophon: 'A Lyon, de l'Imprimerie de Guichard Iullieron. 1581.'
References
A. Adams, S. Rawles and A. Saunders, A Bibliography Of French Emblem Books of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries (2 v., 1999-2002), no. F.141; Harvard University, Harvard College Library Department Of Printing And Graphic Arts Catalogue Of Books And Manuscripts Part I: French 16th Century Books, comp. R. Mortimer (1964), v.I no.128, p.160.
Studies of interest in pagan mythology in the sixteenth century include S. Orgel, ed., The Renaissance and the gods (55 vols., 1976); J. Seznec, The survival of the pagan gods (1953).
Summary Note
This book was printed by G. Jullieron not only for the publisher E. Michel but also for the publisher B. Honorat; so some copies have Honorat's imprint on the title-page. Otherwise the two title-pages are identical, except that the vertical spacing is adjusted to allow for the different size of the devices of the two booksellers. (In the same year the two booksellers also published a Latin and an Italian edition.)
All include eighty-eight woodcut adaptations of the engraved illustrations which Zaltieri had made for the second Italian edition (Venice: Valgrisi / Ziletti, 1571), but eight cuts have drapery added to the male figures. The illustrations were changed for the Pignoria edition of 1615 and subsequent editions.
Provenance
Acquired by 1802. Recorded in Catalogue Of The Library In The Royal Academy, London (1802).
Binding Note
Contemporary vellum, with metal clasps; upper and lower covers decorated in blind; spine lettered 'Verdier'.
Subject
Mythology, Greek - Mythology, Roman - Gods, Greek - Gods, Roman - Iconography
Treatises - Art history - Translations into French - Translations from Italian - France - 16th century
Pictorial works - France - 16th century