THE VISION OF DANTE ALIGHIERI 1844 HAND-PAINTED BINDING BY THE GIANNINI FAMILY
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[ALIGHIERI, Dante]. The Vision of Dante Alghieri, or Hell Purgatory and Paradise. Translated by the Rev. Henry Francis Cary. Venice: Piazza S. Marco, 1844.
Reprint - dated from preface. Leather-bound; hardcover; octavo (18.5cm x 12cm x 4.5cm); pp. xlviii, 543. English text. Stunning hand-painted vellum binding, the upper cover incorporating a large initial 'D' and decorative floral scroll designs with gilt studs in the manner of an illuminated manuscript, with a roundel portrait of Dante based on Sandro Botticelli's painting; the spine and lower cover with scrolling floral designs in art nouveau style; partly bevelled edges; leather ties; top page edges gilt and gauffered, other page edges slightly rough cut; illustrated with tipped-in portrait frontispiece of Dante; half-title present; title-page printed in red and black; printed footnotes. Contents: Preface; Life of Dante; Hell, Canto I--XXXIV; Purgatory, Canto I--XXXIII; Paradise, Canto I--XXXIII. Condition: VERY GOOD. Binding tight and secure, the covers well-preserved with very light rubbing, the original ties intact. Interior largely fresh and clean, without previous ownership markings. Exquisite and scarce thus.
Notes: Period hand-painted vellum bindings are rare and highly collectable. The binding decorations are probably the work of the Giannini family workshop in Florence. It is likely executed by Giulio Giannini (1853-1931), though similar work was carried out by his son Guido (1877-1956) and grandson Giulio Junior (1901-1992).