Dante Alighieri; Sandro Botticelli - La Divina Commedia - 1981

The Divine Comedy – Illustrated by Sandro Botticelli – Limited numbered edition 1981

Extraordinary collectible edition of Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, enriched by the reproduction of the famous drawings by Sandro Botticelli for the Dantean masterpiece.

Published in 1981 by Field Educational Italia, this prestigious out-of-commerce edition was produced in a limited run of only 2,000 numbered copies. The copy offered here is no. 1802, a detail that certifies its belonging to the original printing. The limited run of 2,000 copies and the existence of numbered copies of the same edition are documented in antiquarian catalogs as well. (AbeBooks Italy (IT))

An encounter between Dante and Botticelli

The charm of this publication lies in the meeting of one of the greatest works of world literature and the imagination of Sandro Botticelli, whose famous plates dedicated to the Comedy constitute one of the most important artistic interpretations of Dante’s universe.

The reproductions allow readers to admire Botticelli’s exceptional iconographic apparatus alongside the text of the Divine Comedy, transforming the volume into a true work of art.

The edition also includes Salvatore Battaglia’s proem, the history of the drawings by Lamberto Donati, and Virgilio Guzzi’s commentary on the plates. Bibliographic sources note for this edition a large format and over 300 pages, depending on the bibliographic description adopted. (AbeBooks UK)

Characteristics of the copy

* Author: Dante Alighieri
* Title: The Divine Comedy – Illustrated by Sandro Botticelli
* Year: 1981
* Publisher: Field Educational Italia
* Print run: 2,000 copies numbered, out-of-commerce
* Copy number: 1802
* Illustrator: Sandro Botticelli
* Proem: Salvatore Battaglia
* History of the drawings: Lamberto Donati
* Commentary on the plates: Virgilio Guzzi
* Large-format edition, typical of art publications dedicated to The Divine Comedy

Condition

The copy is in generally good condition and is fully legible.

There are some stains on the first pages, attributable to the normal passage of time. These marks, appropriately documented in the photographs, are part of the conservation state of the copy and do not compromise readability.

A numbered collector’s copy

The most interesting feature is undoubtedly the numbering 1802/2000: this is a publication expressly produced as a limited-edition out-of-commerce release intended for enthusiasts and collectors.

A large-format volume with a strong visual impact, capable of uniting literature, art, the history of illustration, and Italian culture.

A particularly interesting opportunity for collectors of Dante Alighieri, Sandro Botticelli, art books, and fine editions of The Divine Comedy, as well as for anyone wishing to own a refined twentieth-century interpretation of the meeting between the poet and one of the Renaissance’s greatest artists.