Gio. Corona - Le Stvore di Gio. Corona - 1646

A JEWEL OF ROMAN BAROQUE ENCOUNTER: Le Stuore by Gio. Corona, 1646
Published in Rome in 1646 at Manelfo Manelfi, Le Stuore by Giovanni Corona constitutes one of the rare seventeenth-century collections of moral and erudite prose dedicated to the formation of the cultivated man. The work, dedicated to the celebrated patron and antiquary Cassiano Dal Pozzo, gathers a series of treatises of sacred, moral and secular character in which Counter-Reformation culture blends with the great Italian humanistic tradition. The volume represents an interesting testimony of Roman literary production in the mid-Seicento and reflects the lively intellectual milieu surrounding the papal court and the main erudite circles of the city.

# WHY TO BUY

• First Roman edition of 1646.
• Dedicated to Cassiano Dal Pozzo, among the major patrons of European Seicento.
• Rare collection of moral, religious and erudite treatises.
• Elegant contemporary full-leather binding with decorative spine and pivot.
• Interesting testimony of Roman culture during the Counter-Reformation.
• Volume difficult to acquire on the antiquarian market.
• Ideal for collectors of seventeenth-century literature, history of Baroque culture and Roman books.

Rarity: This is the first volume of a monumental encyclopedic work of seventeenth-century erudition written by the Jesuit Giovanni Stefano Menochio. Only this first volume from 1646 was originally issued under the anagrammatic pseudonym “Gio. Corona.” The subsequent volumes (published up to 1654) and later reprints carry the title modified to Delle Stuore del P. Gio. Stefano Menochio.

# MARKET VALUE

Seventeenth-century Roman moral and erudite literary works are today increasingly sought after by specialized collectors. Complete copies in contemporary bindings are typically offered between 800 and 2,000 euros, with higher valuations for copies of notable provenance or in especially favorable condition.

# PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION

Folio 12°. Contemporary full-leather binding with spine in raised bands, gilt tooling and a red label with title. Boards show signs of use, minor abrasions and typical rubbing for the age of the volume. Spines slightly worn but binding solid and well preserved. Paper generally fresh with browning and occasional foxing. Frontispiece with large copper-engraved image dedicated to Cassiano Dal Pozzo. Historiated woodcut initials and typographic ornaments. A genuine and pleasant copy.
In 12°.
Preliminaries.
536 pages.
Final index material.
Frontispiece with engraved crest.
Woodcut initials and typographic ornaments.
In ancient books, with a long history, there may be some imperfections not always noted in the description.

# FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR

Giovanni Corona.
Le Stuore di Gio. Corona tessute di varia erudizione sacra, morale e profana.
Dedicated to the Illustrissimo Signor Cavaliere Cassiano Dal Pozzo, Abate di S. Maria di Cavor.
Rome, Appresso Manelfo Manelfi, 1646.

# CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE

The work fits fully into the rich production of Italian moral literature of the seventeenth century, a genre that aimed to convey ethical and religious teachings through historical examples, philosophical reflections and references to classical tradition. The title, Le Stuore, metaphorically evokes the interwoven fibers that form a mat: in the same way the author interlaces episodes, quotes and meditations coming from different realms of knowledge, building a cultural fabric destined for the reader’s spiritual and intellectual formation. The dedication to Cassiano Dal Pozzo confers further prestige on the edition. The eminent Piedmontese scholar, secretary to Cardinal Francesco Barberini and founder of the famous Museo Cartaceo, represented one of the central figures of European culture in the Seicento, promoting the arts, sciences and antiquarianism. The presence of his dedication directly links the volume to the refined cultural milieu of Barberini Rome.

# BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR

Giovanni Corona was an active author in the first half of the seventeenth century, integrated into the Italian moral and devotional literary milieu. His works reflect Counter-Reformation culture, characterized by the desire to reconcile classical erudition, Catholic doctrine and educational aims. Through a style rich in quotations and historical references, Corona contributed to the diffusion of a literature destined both to religious communities and to educated laypeople.

# PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION

Printed in Rome in 1646 by Manelfo Manelfi, this edition belongs to the lively editorial season of Baroque Rome, favored by the protection of great cardinal families and the intense cultural activity promoted by the papal court. The dedication to Cassiano Dal Pozzo suggests initial diffusion among the aristocratic and erudite circles of the capital. Today the work is rarely available on the antiquarian market and is mainly preserved in the principal Italian and European historical libraries.

# BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES

ICCU – Servizio Bibliotecario Nazionale.
WorldCat – OCLC.
EDIT16/EDIT17 (repertories of early Italian printing).
Brunet, Manuel du Libraire et de l'Amateur de Livres.
Graesse, Trésor de Livres Rares et Précieux.
Morazzoni, Bibliografia Romana del Seicento.