Andreas Bracchio - Commentaria in Epistolam - 1605

LETTERA DI SAN GIACOMO - THE GREAT COMMENTARY OF THE COUNTER-REFORM
Important Parmese edition of 1605 of the monumental commentary on the Catholic Epistle of Saint James, composed by the theologian Giovanni Andrea Bracchio. Specifically intended for priests and preachers, the work interprets the apostolic text according to post-Tridentine Catholic theological principles, addressing doctrinal, moral, and exegetical questions with great richness of biblical and patristic references. It is a significant testimony of Italian theological production at the beginning of the seventeenth century, printed in the prestigious workshop of Erasmo Viotti.

WHY TO BUY
Rare biblical commentary published during the height of the Catholic Counter-Reformation.
Work intended for the formation of the clergy and preachers, with numerous theological questions developed according to the scholastic method.
Edition printed in Parma by Erasmo Viotti, one of the principal Emilia printers of the early seventeenth century.
Beautiful specimen preserved in its original soft parchment binding with title handwritten on the spine, a highly sought-after element by bibliographic collectors.

MARKET VALUE
Exegetical works of the early Baroque period represent a stable sector of the international antiquarian market, particularly appreciated by collectors of theology, church history, and Counter-Reformation books. Editions printed in the Parmense workshops of the early seventeenth century are generally less common than contemporary Venetian and Roman productions and are now sought especially when they retain the original binding and a good freshness of the paper. 800 - 1,200 euros.

PHYSICAL
Complete collation with final index.
Contemporary soft parchment binding with handwritten title on the spine, blind stamp and gold frames on the boards.
Genuine and well-preserved copy. Overall fresh sheets with light and uniform browning. Frontispiece with ancient library stamps and handwritten shelf marks of old placement. Original parchment with physiological signs of time, small wear to the spine and corners, but overall in excellent conservational condition. Beautiful copy. Pp. 228

FULL TITLE
Commentaria in Epistolam Catholicam D. Iacobi Apostoli, omnibus Christi fidelibus, ac praecipue sacerdotibus et verbi divini concionatoribus admodum utilia.
Auctore Ioan. Andrea Braccho.
Parmae, Ex Typographia Erasmi Viothi, 1605.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT
After the Council of Trent the Catholic Church promoted a wide production of biblical commentaries intended for clergy formation. The Letter of Saint James, with its teaching on the relationship between faith and works, assumed a central role in the Catholic response to doctrinal controversies of the Protestant Reformation. Works like Bracchio’s constituted essential tools for priests, confessors, and preachers engaged in the practical application of Tridentine directives.

THE AUTHOR

Giovanni Andrea Bracchio was a theologian and Doctor of Sacred Theology, active between the late 16th and early 17th centuries. His exegetical writings fit fully within the tradition of post-Tridentine Catholic scholasticism, characterized by a rigorous interpretation of Scripture, supported by the authority of the Church Fathers and the official doctrine of the Roman Church.

THE PRINTER

Erasmo Viotti was one of the leading printers operating in Parma in the early decades of the seventeenth century. His workshop published works of theology, law, philosophy and literature intended for ecclesiastical circles as well as the academic institutions of the Duchy of Parma, distinguished by typographic quality and the elegance of the editions.

CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE

This volume represents one of the numerous instruments through which the Catholic Church consolidated the theological formation of its clergy after the Council of Trent. The work documents the exegetical method of the Counter-Reformation, based on the constant confrontation between Scripture, patristic tradition and scholastic theology. The preservation of the original binding and ancient marks of possession makes the specimen an interesting testimony to the circulation and use of theological books in the church libraries of the seventeenth century.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Adams, Catalogue of Books Printed on the Continent of Europe, 1501–1600 and Supplements.
Edit16.
ICCU, Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo Unico.
USTC, Universal Short Title Catalogue.
CERL, Heritage of the Printed Book Database.
Brunet, Manuel du Libraire et de l'Amateur de Livres.
Graesse, Trésor de Livres Rares et Précieux.
British Library Catalogue.
Library of Congress Catalogue.
Bibliothèque nationale de France.
SBN – Servizio Bibliotecario Nazionale.