The Seven Sages of Rome and Seven Other Texts

Cologne, Johann Kollhoff, 1490; 1485-1491

The Historia septem sapientum at hand is the sixth work within a sammelband of eight incunables. It is the seventh Latin edition and is accompanied by seven other texts, mostly of a religious, moral or spiritual nature.

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Contemporary Saxonian (Leipzig?) blind-stamped calf over thick wooden boards, remains of one fore-edge clasp. Worn, some loss of cover material on corners and ends of spine, new pastedowns. In a modern green half morocco Solander box.
23 full-page woodcut illustrations from 11 blocks

200 x 144 mm, 50 leaves

173

of 257

A popular Medieval selection of tales, similar to the Fables of Bidpai, Barlaam and Josaphat and the Gesta Romanorum

Overview

This work is now sold.

The eight incunables in this sammelband are as follows:

1. Thomas a Kempis, Imitatio Christi (1485)

2. [Pseudo-] Thomas Aquinas, De arte et vero modo praedicandi (1489)

3. Elegantiarum viginti praecepta (1490)

4. Johannes Gobius, De spiritu Guidonis, Hijstoria de spiritu quodam coniurato per priorem fratrum predicatorum Guidonis (1489)

5. S. Bonaventura, De Praeparatione ad missam (1494)

6. Historia septem sapientum (1490)

7. Expositio hymnorum (1491)

8. Sequentiae: Textus Sequentiarum cum optimo commento (c. 1491)

The Seven Sages of Rome is one of the most popular medieval collections of tales connected by a frame narrative: Emperor Pontianus sends his young son Diocletian to seven wise masters for his education. Returning, Diocletian takes a vow of silence, advised by the stars. During this time,

he rejects the advances of his stepmother the empress, who goes to the emperor and accuses the prince of trying to seduce her. Over seven successive days there follows a competition of stories and counter-stories told by the stepmother and the seven sages, thus putting off the prince’s execution until he is at liberty to tell the truth.

The Seven Sages circulated in various versions, deviating in their inventory of stories. This copy is accompanied by 23 full-page woodcuts,

reminiscent of the Dutch Bellaert Master.

See this item in our brochure, Precious and Precise, and the catalogue, Heroes and Heroines.

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