Bocchi - Doctissimi Nati Florentiae - 1607-1609

Civic pride and memory: Florence celebrates itself through its illustrious men.
The Elogiorum, in which the most learned men born in Florence are honored, by Francesco Bocchi, is one of the most conscious acts of cultural self-representation of late Renaissance Florence. Published in 1609, the volume gathers a series of laudatory portraits dedicated to illustrious men born in the city, creating a true gallery of civic memory based on erudition, letters, arts, and sciences. The work follows the tradition of humanistic encomiums of illustrious men but updates the model in a distinctly Florentine sense, transforming individual celebration into a collective act of cultural identity. Particularly significant is the presence, in this edition, of the Liber secundus, printed separately in 1607, with its own title page and signatures, documenting an uncommon editorial layering.
Market value
In the antiquarian market, the Florentine editions by Francesco Bocchi dedicated to civic praises generally range between 1,200 and 1,500 euros. Composite copies like the present one, which include the Liber secundus with a frontispiece from the Officina Sermartelliana (1607), are of particular bibliographic interest.

Physical description and condition
Faded parchment binding, with signs of wear. Editorial composition including the Liber primus printed in Florence by Giunti in 1609 and the Liber secundus printed in Florence by the Officina Sermartelliana in 1607, both with their own title pages and signatures. Typographic marks on the two title pages, woodcut initials in the text. Presence of contemporary or slightly later handwritten marginal notes. Pages with some browning. In ancient books, with a multi-century history, some imperfections may be present, not always noted in the description. Pages (2); 8 leaves, 92 pages; 4 leaves, 40 pages.

Full title and author
Eulogies of the most learned men born in Florence.
First book
Florence, at Iunta's, 1609.
Book Two
Florence, at the Sermartelli workshop, 1607.
Francesco Bocchi

Context and Significance
Bocchi's work fits into the long Florentine tradition of celebrating illustrious men as a means of constructing civic identity. Unlike classical and humanist models, here praise takes on a precise political and cultural significance: Florence is presented as a continuous source of knowledge, capable of producing excellence in every field of human learning. The presence of the Liber secundus, printed two years earlier and subsequently expanded, testifies to a complex and progressive editorial project, not uncommon but always meaningful in the history of the transmission of encomiastic texts between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries.

Biography of the Author
Francesco Bocchi was born in Florence in 1548 and died there in 1618. Humanist, writer, and topographer, he authored numerous works dedicated to the history, art, and celebration of the city of Florence, including famous guides and urban descriptions. His work reflects a deep sense of civic belonging and a strong commitment to the cultural values of late Florentine humanism.

Printing history and circulation
The First Book of the Elogiorum was printed by the Giunti in 1609, while the Second Book saw its release separately in 1607 at the Officina Sermartelliana. The joint circulation of the two books, as in this specimen, corresponds to a practice of subsequent assembly, documented in several cases but never fully standardized. This makes each specimen a unique tangible witness to the editorial history of the work.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
Adams, Catalogue of Books Printed on the Continent of Europe, 1501–1600.
Bertelli, Humanism and civic historiography in Florence.
Grafton, Defenders of the Text
WorldCat, census of editions by Francesco Bocchi.