[Early Incunable] - Eusebius - Evangelica Preparatione - 1473

ALL ORIGINS OF CHRISTIAN THOUGHT: RARE VENETIAN INCUNABULUM OF 1473
First Venetian edition of Eusebius of Caesarea’s Praeparatio Evangelica, printed in 1473 by Leonhardus Aurl in the Latin translation by Giorgio da Trebisonda. It is one of the oldest typographic testimonies dedicated to Greek patrology and one of the earliest editions of Eusebius to appear after the invention of printing. The volume retains its historical and bibliographic value. The Lombard initial capitals, added by an ancient hand after the press run, perfectly document that transitional moment when the printed book still imitated the appearance of medieval illuminated codices.
WHY TO BUY
Praeparatio Evangelica is one of the foundational texts of Western Christian culture and one of the main sources through which numerous authors of classical antiquity, now lost, survived. This specimen offers several elements of great interest: a very rare 1473 Venetian incunabulum edition; one of the first patristic works printed in Italy; humanistic Latin translation by Giorgio da Trebisonda; precious testimony to the pioneering phase of Venetian typography; original rubricated initials executed by hand; high interest for incunable collectors, history of printing, and Church history. Even in fragmentary state, fifteenth-century incunabula are historically significant documents and are finding increasing interest among libraries, universities, and specialized collections.
MARKET VALUE
The market for incunabula also assigns substantial value to fragments when they belong to very rare and historically important editions. The scarcity of cataloged copies, the antiquity of the press, and the importance of the work make this fragment significantly more interesting than common liturgical or legal fragments of the fifteenth century. The presence of the original rubrications further increases its collecting appeal. Commercial valuation: €2,800–4,500.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
42 pages in folio format, belonging to the complete edition of about 150 leaves and corresponding to pages 268-306, 16-17 and 14-15. Text printed in an elegant Roman type. Two leaves preserve handwritten red lombard initials. Modern binding in binder’s board covered with paper. Pages: (2); 42; (2). As with all old volumes, slight defects not expressly mentioned may be present.
FULL TITLE
EUSEBIUS CAESARIENSIS. De Evangelica Praeparatione. Latine versa a Georgio Trapezuntio. Venetiis, Leonhardus Aurl, 1473.
CONTEXT
Composed in the early decades of the 4th century, Praeparatio Evangelica represents the most ambitious attempt of ancient Christian thought to demonstrate how the philosophy and religion of the Greek world formed a preparation for the evangelical revelation. The work collects hundreds of quotations from pagan philosophers, historians, and poets, many of which are today preserved solely thanks to Eusebius’s transcriptions. For this reason, the text bears extraordinary importance not only for the history of Christianity but also for the preservation of classical culture.
BIOGRAPHY
Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 260–339) was bishop of Caesarea in Palestine, theologian, apologist, and the first great historian of the Church. His Historia Ecclesiastica earned him the title “Father of Church History,” while Praeparatio Evangelica remains one of the most influential works of ancient Christian philosophy. The Latin translation used in this edition was produced by Giorgio da Trebisonda (1395–1486), one of the leading Byzantine humanists who migrated to Italy after the fall of Constantinople and who played a central role in transmitting Greek heritage to the Western Renaissance.
PRINTING
Leonhardus Aurl belongs to the very first generation of Venetian printers, active as Venice was rapidly becoming the major European publishing center. The 1473 edition fully reflects the early phase of humanistic typography: elegant Roman typeface, layout inspired by manuscripts, and intentionally left blank spaces for professional rubricators to complete the volume with initials and hand decorations. This continuity between manuscript and print is one of the most fascinating features of fifteenth-century incunabula.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
ISTC ie00122000. GW 9433. Goff E-122. Hain-Copinger 6717. BMC V. IGI 3759. Bod-inc E-053. Proctor, Index to the Early Printed Books.