Virgilio - Eneide - 1760

The Aeneid as Theatre: The National Poem in Eighteenth-Century Illustration
The Parisian edition of 1760 of the Aeneid by Publius Vergilius Maro, in Annibal Caro's renowned Italian translation, represents one of the peaks of 18th-century illustrated publishing dedicated to the classics. The foundational poem of Roman identity is here presented in a fully Enlightenment style, where the epic text constantly interacts with a complex and refined iconographic apparatus. Allegorical frontispieces, portraits, full-page plates, and intricate engraved decorations transform reading into a complex visual and intellectual experience, reaffirming the Aeneid as a text of moral, political, and aesthetic education for the European educated audience. The book is not merely a vehicle for the poem but a total object, designed to educate the eye and the mind through the harmony of word and image.
Market value
In the international antiquarian market, this illustrated edition of the Aeneid, in two octavo volumes, generally falls within a price range of 1,000 to 4,000 euros in good condition with a complete iconographic apparatus. The presence of the contemporaneous decorated binding, sharp impressions, and well-preserved plates supports a mid-to-high valuation. Restorations to the hinges and minor surface defects, if properly executed and disclosed, do not substantially affect the overall value.

Physical description and condition
Two volumes in octavo. Contemporary binding in mottled calf, covers framed by a triple gold fillet; titles and volume number in gold within a double panel on the spine; marbled edges. Restoration to the hinges and some scuffs; front covers partially detached. Paper ex libris affixed to the front pastedown of the second volume. Decorative engraved frontispiece, title page, and engraved portrait present in both volumes. Twelve full-page copperplate engravings outside the text. Numerous headpieces, vignettes, and tailpieces engraved within the text. Pages with some stains and browning. In ancient books, with a multi-century history, some imperfections may be present, not always noted in the description. Pages: (4), 6 unnumbered, 342, 2 unnumbered, (4); (4), 8 unnumbered, 314, (4).

Full title and author
The Aeneid
Paris, at the Widow Quillau, 1760.
Publius Vergilius Maro. Italian translation by Annibal Caro.

Context and Significance
This edition fully aligns with the grand eighteenth-century project of reinterpreting classics as tools for moral and civic education. Caro's translation, already recognized as one of the highest Italian renditions of Virgil, is further enhanced here by a figurative apparatus that interprets the epic in theatrical, narrative, and sentimental terms. The engravings do not merely illustrate famous episodes but create a true visual commentary on the poem, guiding the reader in understanding the scenes, characters, and values embodied by Aeneas. The volume reflects the French taste for the book as a synthesis of literature, fine arts, and high typography.

Biography of the Author
Publius Vergilius Maro was born in 70 BC near Mantua and died in 19 BC. Considered the greatest poet of the Augustan age, he was the author of the Bucolics, the Georgics, and the Aeneid. The latter, an epic poem in twelve books, became from antiquity a foundational text of Latin and Western culture, profoundly influencing literature, political thought, and the European symbolic imagination.

Printing history and circulation
Printed in Paris in 1760 at the Widow Quillau's, the edition was curated by G. Conti and enriched with a rich illustrative apparatus designed by artists active in the late Baroque and proto-Neoclassical taste, engraved by masters such as Defert, Prévost, and others. Intended for an educated and bibliophile audience, it experienced a selective circulation, now evidenced by the relative rarity of complete, well-preserved copies in contemporary bindings.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
BnF and WorldCat catalogs.
Brunet, J.-C., Manual for booksellers and book lovers.
Catalogs of illustrated editions of the Aeneid
Studies on Virgilian iconography in the 18th century.