September 21, 2009
The First Work of Fantasy and a Newly Published One- an arc from 1541 to the present
The Book:
Lucian, of Samosata. I Dialogi piacevoli, le Vere Narrationi, le Facete Epistole di Lvciano Philosopho. Di Greco in Volgare tradotte per M. Nicolo da Lonigo: et historiate, e di nuovo… emendate. Published: Venetia : [Giovanni de Farri e Fratelli], 1541. 8vo., 16 x 11 cm., 223 ff., Publisher’s statement from colophon. Signatures: A-2E⁸. Leaves 49, 51, 53, 55, 81, 120, and 221 are misnumbered 17, 19, 21, 23, 80, 121, and 121, respectively. Leaves 9-40, and 57-112 are numbered in roman numerals. Charmingly illustrated with woodcuts depicting a sea monster flanked by the Pillars of Hercules to commence the journey, Charon’s boats loaded with souls destined for hell etc. 18th century full calf binding with marbled endpapers, gilt spine, red morocco spine label, wear to hinges. Internally, some staining to t.p., occasional browning, but generally a VERY GOOD COMPLETE and well-margined copy.
“Lucian of Samosata was an Assyrian rhetorician, and satirist who wrote in the Greek language. Le Vere Narrationi, A True History, parodied some fantastic tales told by Homer in the Odyssey. Lucian anticipated “modern” fictional themes like voyages to the moon and Venus, extraterrestrial life and wars between planets centuries before Jules Verne and H. G. Wells or Douglas Adams. His novel is widely regarded as an early, if not the earliest science fiction work. [Ref: Wikipedia].
Typographically, the book is a remarkable example of the sensitive integration of text and image prevalent in mid 16th century Venetian printing. The fine, delightful and classically inspired woodcuts not only illustrate, but serve as chapter headings to the volgaris text. The Italian vernacular was in fact quickly gaining ground in printing as a language with a new expressiveness and imagery that exceeded the hi-brow scholarly Latin of the day.
The work’s linguistic inventiveness, the placement of its illustrations, as well as the fantastic tale to another world, brought to my mind a parallel with a newly released book by my brilliant neighbor, Daniel Rabuzzi. His work, The Choir Boats, was reviewed as “a significant contribution to the field of fantasy” and I would highly encourage anybody who reads my blog to purchase a copy. Daniel’s wife, the artist Deborah Mills, contributed the lovely chapter illustrations, and I could imagine back in 16th century Venice, the Farri family of scholars, artists and publishers engaged in a similar collaboration to produce a labor of love. The Choir Boats, with its highly imaginative use of language, echoes a style of magical fantasy that was written in centuries past and which is more than worth delving into today.
And photos from Daniel Rabuzzi’s remarkable work:
