Ovidio - Heroidum - 1538

The secret voices of Ovid's heroines: illustrated and commented on during the Renaissance
Between myth, poetry, and images, this rare edition of Ovid's Heroides, printed in 1538 by Alessandro Paganini in Toscolano Maderno, combines the allure of poetic text with the charm of an iconographic and commentary apparatus that reflects Renaissance humanism. Each letter from the heroines is accompanied by figurative vignettes that amplify its narrative power, while the comments by Josse Bade, Ubertino da Crescentino, Domizio Calderini, and Antonio Volsco provide a layered cultural context that intertwines philology, rhetoric, and symbolic interpretation. The work, a refined testament to Gardesana typography, offers a synthesis of poetry, image, and doctrine, in a perfectly Renaissance balance.
Market value
Rare and sought-after edition for its iconographic richness and Paganini typography. The presence of humanist comments and the decorative eighteenth-century binding increase its collectible interest. In good condition, with an antique binding and well-preserved illustrative apparatus: estimated value €3,500 – €5,000, varying based on provenance and the integrity of the illustrations.

Physical description and condition
Frontispiece enclosed in a decorated woodcut frame with stains. Text enriched with numerous woodcuts accompanying the epistles of mythological heroines. Some stains at the corners of the first pages. The last pages are fragile along the inner margin with restorations to missing parts that also touch the text. The binding dates back to the 18th century, made of half leather with corners in dark brown, with the title in gold on the spine and covers covered in woodcut-printed paper. Collation: (2); 2nn; 274; (2).

Full title and author
Heroides, recently recognized and most suitably illustrated with exquisite figures.
Toscolano Maderno, Alessandro Paganini, 1538.
Publio Ovidio Nasone

Context and Significance
The 1538 edition of the Heroides stands out for its successful combination of text and image, reflecting Renaissance visual culture. The woodcuts serve not only an ornamental purpose but also act as interpretative guides, making the work accessible even to a non-specialist audience. The comments by Bade, Crescentino, Calderini, and Volsco demonstrate a lively humanistic interest in Ovid, who was read both as a model of style and as a source of moral and symbolic exempla. Paganini’s typography, active on Lake Garda, represents a significant episode in the dissemination of classical knowledge in northern Italy, combining typographic refinement with pedagogical sensitivity.

Brief biography of the author
Publius Ovidius Naso (43 BC – 17/18 AD), a Roman poet of extraordinary fame, was the author of the Metamorphoses, the Heroides, and other works that combine myth, love, and symbolic metamorphosis. The Heroides, imagined letters from mythological heroines to their lovers, represent one of the most original poetic inventions of antiquity, highlighting the female voice in a context dominated by male narratives. Ovid's Renaissance popularity made him one of the most copied, commented on, and illustrated authors.

Printing history and circulation
Printed in Toscolano Maderno by Alessandro Paganini, son of Paganino, this edition testifies to the prestige of a peripheral printing house capable of producing books of the highest aesthetic and philological standards. The Heroides were often printed in the sixteenth century, but this edition stands out for its iconographic and commentary apparatus. Complete and well-preserved copies are now rare on the antiquarian market.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
EDIT16 CNCE 38114
USTC 829372
WorldCat (copies in Paris, Venice, London)
Anthony Grafton, Commerce with the Classics, Harvard University Press
Mortimer, Italian 16th Century Books
Branca, the typography of the Renaissance in northern Italy