Lipsius - Opera - 1613






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Two-volume folio set Opera by Justus Lipsius, Latin, first edition in this format, published in 1613 by Lugduni, apud Horatium Cardon, bound in half leather with numerous engravings and a total of 1906 pages.
Description from the seller
FIRST EDITION, IN FOLIO - LIPSIUS AND THE ART OF GOVERNING: STOICISM AND DISCIPLINE IN LIPSIUS
First complete edition of the Opera of Justus Lipsius, published in Lyon in 1613 by Horace Cardon, which organises into a coherent whole the entire philological, philosophical, historical, and epistolary corpus of one of the major thinkers of late European Renaissance. A central figure in the rediscovery of Stoicism and in modern political reflection, Lipsius builds a coherent system that unites classical erudition, moral discipline, and theory of the State, offering an intellectual answer to the religious and civil tensions of his era. The work presents itself as a true Lipsian summa, in which philology, history, and philosophy converge in a unified project of moral and civic reform. The iconographic apparatus, with historical engravings, military subjects, religious scenes, and urban views, reinforces the visual dimension of antiquarian knowledge, transforming the work into a repertoire that is both textual and figurative of European culture between the 16th and 17th centuries.
MARKET VALUE
Complete folio editions of Lipsius’s Opera generally range from 1,500 to 2,000 euros, with higher values for complete, well-preserved copies, with contemporaneous or fine bindings and with an intact and well-printed iconographic apparatus. The presence of all the plates and copies that are lightly trimmed or with good provenance can significantly affect the valuation, especially in the international antiquarian market.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
Two volumes in folio. Later half-leather bindings in an antique style. Boards loose. Frontispiece engraved by J. de Fornazeris; engraved portrait of Justus Lipsius; second frontispiece with a vignette engraved on intaglio (inner margin restored). Numerous engravings in the text, including military subjects, religious scenes (crucifixions), and large views of Leuven and Heverlee; woodcuts also present. Text laid out within double typographic frame. Browning, foxing, and marginal wear; presence of an antique library stamp on the front page. In old books with a centuries-long history, some imperfections not always noted in the description may be present.
Pp.: (2); 12nn; 84; 8nn; 882; (2). (2); 12nn; 900; (2).
FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
Opera.
Lugduni, apud Horatium Cardon, 1613.
Justus Lipsius.
CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
Justus Lipsius (1547–1606) was one of the most influential figures in European culture between the 16th and 17th centuries. Philologist, historian, and philosopher, he developed an original synthesis between ancient Stoicism and Christian thought, proposing an ethical model founded on inner discipline, constancy, and control of the passions. The Opera represents the most complete and systematic form of his thought: it includes philosophical treatises such as De constantia, philological studies on Tacitus and Seneca, antiquarian works, and a vast epistolary collection. In a Europe marked by religious wars and political instability, Lipsian thought offers a response grounded in order, reason, and state stability, influencing academic circles, courts, and modern political reflection. The engravings in the volume enhance the visual and antiquarian dimension of the work, contributing to the transmission of knowledge also through images.
BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Justus Lipsius (1547–1606), born in the Low Countries, was one of the most important humanists of his time. Professor at Leiden and Lovain, he exerted a profound influence on political thought, classical philology, and European moral philosophy. His work contributed decisively to the revival of Stoicism and to the formation of modern state theory.
PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
The Opera of Lipsius was published in several editions from the late 16th to the early 17th century, but the 1613 edition represents the first complete and systematic collection of his corpus. Printed in Lyon by Horace Cardon, one of the leading European publishers of the time, the work enjoyed wide diffusion in academic and political circles. Complete two-volume folios are today relatively rare on the market, especially with an intact illustration program.
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
Bibliotheca Belgica, III, 1018–1020 (L-405).
ICCU/OPAC SBN, census editions of the Opera di Lipsius.
USTC (Universal Short Title Catalogue), Lipsius editions, Lyon 1613.
WorldCat/OCLC, international records.
Grafton, Anthony, studies on humanism and Renaissance philology.
Seller's Story
FIRST EDITION, IN FOLIO - LIPSIUS AND THE ART OF GOVERNING: STOICISM AND DISCIPLINE IN LIPSIUS
First complete edition of the Opera of Justus Lipsius, published in Lyon in 1613 by Horace Cardon, which organises into a coherent whole the entire philological, philosophical, historical, and epistolary corpus of one of the major thinkers of late European Renaissance. A central figure in the rediscovery of Stoicism and in modern political reflection, Lipsius builds a coherent system that unites classical erudition, moral discipline, and theory of the State, offering an intellectual answer to the religious and civil tensions of his era. The work presents itself as a true Lipsian summa, in which philology, history, and philosophy converge in a unified project of moral and civic reform. The iconographic apparatus, with historical engravings, military subjects, religious scenes, and urban views, reinforces the visual dimension of antiquarian knowledge, transforming the work into a repertoire that is both textual and figurative of European culture between the 16th and 17th centuries.
MARKET VALUE
Complete folio editions of Lipsius’s Opera generally range from 1,500 to 2,000 euros, with higher values for complete, well-preserved copies, with contemporaneous or fine bindings and with an intact and well-printed iconographic apparatus. The presence of all the plates and copies that are lightly trimmed or with good provenance can significantly affect the valuation, especially in the international antiquarian market.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
Two volumes in folio. Later half-leather bindings in an antique style. Boards loose. Frontispiece engraved by J. de Fornazeris; engraved portrait of Justus Lipsius; second frontispiece with a vignette engraved on intaglio (inner margin restored). Numerous engravings in the text, including military subjects, religious scenes (crucifixions), and large views of Leuven and Heverlee; woodcuts also present. Text laid out within double typographic frame. Browning, foxing, and marginal wear; presence of an antique library stamp on the front page. In old books with a centuries-long history, some imperfections not always noted in the description may be present.
Pp.: (2); 12nn; 84; 8nn; 882; (2). (2); 12nn; 900; (2).
FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
Opera.
Lugduni, apud Horatium Cardon, 1613.
Justus Lipsius.
CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
Justus Lipsius (1547–1606) was one of the most influential figures in European culture between the 16th and 17th centuries. Philologist, historian, and philosopher, he developed an original synthesis between ancient Stoicism and Christian thought, proposing an ethical model founded on inner discipline, constancy, and control of the passions. The Opera represents the most complete and systematic form of his thought: it includes philosophical treatises such as De constantia, philological studies on Tacitus and Seneca, antiquarian works, and a vast epistolary collection. In a Europe marked by religious wars and political instability, Lipsian thought offers a response grounded in order, reason, and state stability, influencing academic circles, courts, and modern political reflection. The engravings in the volume enhance the visual and antiquarian dimension of the work, contributing to the transmission of knowledge also through images.
BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Justus Lipsius (1547–1606), born in the Low Countries, was one of the most important humanists of his time. Professor at Leiden and Lovain, he exerted a profound influence on political thought, classical philology, and European moral philosophy. His work contributed decisively to the revival of Stoicism and to the formation of modern state theory.
PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
The Opera of Lipsius was published in several editions from the late 16th to the early 17th century, but the 1613 edition represents the first complete and systematic collection of his corpus. Printed in Lyon by Horace Cardon, one of the leading European publishers of the time, the work enjoyed wide diffusion in academic and political circles. Complete two-volume folios are today relatively rare on the market, especially with an intact illustration program.
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
Bibliotheca Belgica, III, 1018–1020 (L-405).
ICCU/OPAC SBN, census editions of the Opera di Lipsius.
USTC (Universal Short Title Catalogue), Lipsius editions, Lyon 1613.
WorldCat/OCLC, international records.
Grafton, Anthony, studies on humanism and Renaissance philology.
