Biondo - Domatione del Poledro - 1549

THE SECRET OF THE TAMED HORSE: BETWEEN MEDICAL SCIENCE AND EQUESTRIAN ART
The Domatione del poledro, attributed to Michelangelo Biondo but derived from Giordano Ruffo’s ippiatrical tradition, represents one of the most fascinating examples of the transmission and reworking of medieval veterinary knowledge in the full Renaissance. This dense volume, printed in Venice in 1549, condenses training practices, physiological observations, and reflections on the nature of the horse, a central animal in the military and aristocratic culture of the era. The work stands as a bridge between tradition and modernity: on one hand it preserves the empirical framework of medieval Hippologic science, on the other it inserts itself into the new Venetian editorial season, which makes accessible in the vernacular technical and specialized knowledge. A practical manual, but also a cultural document that reveals the symbolic and functional centrality of the horse in 16th-century society.
MARKET VALUE
Cinquecentesque editions of Hippiatric texts derived from Giordano Ruffo, especially in the vernacular and portable format, are relatively rare on the market. This 1549 edition generally commands values between 800 and 1,000 euros, with well-preserved and complete copies that can reach higher levels. The presence of non-contemporary binding moderately affects value, while completeness and legibility of the text remain determining factors.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
Later binding in blue cardboard, with gilded titles on the spine. Printer’s mark on the verso of the last leaf. Copy with uniformly browning leaves and the presence of pale damp-stains, without compromising legibility. In old books, with a centuries-long history, a few imperfections may be present, not always noted in the description. Pp. (6); 42; 4nn; (6).
FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
Della domatione del poledro, del suo amaistramento, della conservatione della sanità del cavallo, et della utilissima medicina contra ii sua morbi
In Vinegia, appresso il Biondo, 1549.
Michelangelo Biondo [attributed; derived from Giordano Ruffo].

CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
The text belongs to the long European ippiatrical tradition inaugurated in the 13th century by Giordano Ruffo, author of the famous De medicina equorum, one of the most important medieval veterinary treatises. During the Renaissance, this work experienced numerous reworkings and translations, often adapted to the vernacular and integrated with new practical observations. The Venetian edition of 1549 fits into this process of diffusion and updating of technical knowledge, making it accessible to a broader audience of breeders, knights, and enthusiasts. The content ranges from foal training to diagnosis and treatment of equine diseases, with an approach that combines empirical observation and medical tradition. The work also testifies to the central role of the horse in the material and symbolic culture of the time, as a weapon of war, a means of transport, and a sign of social status.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Michelangelo Biondo is a poorly documented figure, probably an editor or compiler active in Venice in the mid-16th century, linked to the diffusion of technical and practical vernacular texts. The attribution of the work, however, refers to the tradition of Giordano Ruffo (13th century), a noble Calabrian and master of the stables at the court of Frederick II, author of one of the most influential medieval treatises on veterinary medicine. Ruffo systematized empirical knowledge and animal-rearing practices, profoundly influencing the European Hippologic literature in the following centuries.

PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
The 1549 edition, printed in Venice “appresso il Biondo,” sits within the context of the lively Venetian editorial production of technical vernacular texts. It is one of the numerous versions derived from the Ruffian corpus, but with autonomous characteristics in the selection and organization of content. The print run, probably aimed at a pragmatic audience more than scholars, was not large, contributing to the relative rarity of surviving copies today. The diffusion occurred mainly within Italy, in contexts related to breeding and cavalry.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
ICCU/OPAC SBN: records related to the fifteenth-century editions of Ruffo/Biondo (precise verification per specific exemplar)
EDIT16: identification of the 1549 Venetian edition (to be verified on CNCE basis)
WorldCat: records for related editions of the Domatione del poledro
Thorndike – Kibre, A Catalogue of Incipits of Mediaeval Scientific Writings in Latin, for the Ruffian tradition
Agrimi – Crisciani, Malato, medico e medicina nel Medioevo, for the medieval veterinary context
Entry “Giordano Ruffo” in Treccani