Ariosto - Orlando Furioso - 1773

THE THEATER OF WEAPONS AND PASSION, IN THE MOST SPLENDID ARIOSTO OF THE SEVEN TEENTH CENTURY
Magnificent Baskerville edition of Orlando Furioso, one of the most famous and spectacular poems of European literature, here transformed by John Baskerville into an authentic typographic monument of the eighteenth century. Printed in Birmingham in 1773 for booksellers Molini, this sumptuous four-volume series unites the dizzying Ariosto universe — wandering knights, sieges, duels, Oriental magic, enchanted castles, adulterous loves and alluring ladies — with the material perfection of one of the greatest printers in European history. The splendid contemporary full leather bindings in marbleized green leather richly decorated in gold amplify the aristocratic and theatrical character of the work, born for the libraries of Europe’s educated high society. On these pages fierce wars coexist with sensual seductions, shining armor with uncontrollable desires: Ariosto builds an immense narrative labyrinth populated by knights obsessed with honor, pagan princesses, ambiguous heroines and overwhelming passions that transform the chivalric poem into one of the great psychological novels of modernity.
MARKET VALUE
Baskerville editions of Italian classics are among the most sought-after in the entire English typographic output of the eighteenth century. The Orlando Furioso of 1773 holds a particularly prestigious position thanks to the combination of literary importance, aesthetic refinement, and execution quality. Complete sets in uniform contemporary bindings, accompanied by the copperplate engravings and in good condition, generally reach values between 1,500 and 6,000 euros, with higher figures for fresh copies, of aristocratic provenance, or preserved in bindings originally decorated in gold. Copies with a complete illustrative apparatus are particularly coveted on the international antiquarian market.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
4 volumes in an elegant format. splendid contemporary full green marbleized leather bindings, backs with raised bands richly decorated in gold with refined floral and geometric tools, red morocco labels with gold title, red cut edges and marbleized endpapers. A volume with a strong decorative presence, typical of late eighteenth-century aristocratic libraries. Some abrasions and wear to the capitals, small defects to the heads, loosened hinges and front boards of the first and fourth volumes partially detached. Typographic title pages to all four tomes. Copperplate portrait of Ludovico Ariosto in the first volume and numerous off-text engravings depicting battles, sieges, armored knights, amorous scenes and fantastical moments from the poem. Paper of Baskerville typography of excellent quality, with bright layout and extraordinary sharpness of the type. Some natural browning and foxing. In old books with a multi-century history, some imperfections may be present, not always noted in the description.
Volume I — pp. (8); 32nn; 58; 362; (10).
Volume II — pp. (8); 2nn; 450; (8).
Volume III — pp. (8); 2nn; 446; (10).
Volume IV — pp. (8); 2nn; 446; (10).

FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
Orlando Furioso.
Birmingham, Da’ Torchj di G. Baskerville: Per P. Molini e G. Molini, 1773.
Lodovico Ariosto.

CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
L’Orlando Furioso represents one of the absolute summits of Western narrative fantasy. Ariosto transforms the traditional medieval knightly poem into a modern, ambiguous and seductive universe, dominated by the chaos of human passions. The heroic world of Christian paladins is continually swept away by erotic desires, jealousy, betrayals, magical illusions and sentimental follies. The shining armors and chivalric ideals coexist with a profoundly sensual and psychological dimension: irresistible dames seduce invincible warriors, Eastern princesses manipulate male desire, enchanted castles imprison knights blinded by passion.

The work is threaded with a continuous contrast between military glory and inner disorder. Orlando, the greatest of the paladins, descends into amorous madness; Ruggiero wrestles with eros and heroic destiny; Angelica embodies the destabilizing power of feminine beauty; Alcina rules a realm of seduction and metamorphosis worthy of the great modern witches. Ariosto thus builds a gigantic theater of war and desire, where weapons and love become equally devastating forces.

The Baskerville edition further amplifies this theatricality. John Baskerville, obsessed with typographic perfection, transformed the eighteenth-century book into an absolute aesthetic object: exquisitely elegant types, satin paper, deep blacks and harmonious layout create an extraordinary balance between Enlightenment classicism and Renaissance fantasy. This edition also marks one of the culminating moments of the cultural encounter between England and Italy in the eighteenth century, when the great Italian classics became symbols of prestige for European aristocratic audiences.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Lodovico Ariosto was born in Reggio Emilia in 1474 and died in Ferrara in 1533. Poet, diplomat and courtier at the Este court, he is considered one of the foremost authors of the Italian Renaissance. Orlando Furioso, published in its definitive form in 1532, revolutionized European literature by fusing epic knight-errantry, irony, eroticism, politics, magic and psychological introspection into a narrative structure of extraordinary complexity and modernity. His influence extended from Cervantes to romantic and fantastical modern narrative.

PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
The 1773 edition belongs to John Baskerville’s celebrated Italian production, among the most refined typographic enterprises of eighteenth-century Europe. Printed in Birmingham for the Italian booksellers Molini, it was intended for an international aristocratic and cosmopolitan audience, passionate about both Italian poetry and the new aesthetics of the English book. The relatively limited print runs, the very high production cost and the fragility of the elegant original bindings make complete and uniform copies particularly desirable on today’s antiquarian market. Copies preserved in the spectacular contemporary gold-decorated bindings are increasingly rare and sought after.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
Gaskell, Philip, John Baskerville: A Bibliography, Cambridge University Press.
Updike, Daniel Berkeley, Printing Types: Their History, Forms and Use.
Brunet, Manuel du libraire et de l’amateur de livres, I.
Graesse, Trésor de livres rares et précieux, I.
Lowndes, Bibliographer’s Manual of English Literature.
ESTC – English Short Title Catalogue, Baskerville edition 1773.
WorldCat, institutional catalogues of the Birmingham 1773 edition.