Publius Papinius Statius - Sylvarum Libri - 1653

Proposed title for Catawiki

P. Papinii Statii Opera – sixteenth edition? Actually seventeenth century edition, Amsterdam, Ludovicus Elzevirius, 1653 – 424 pages – engraved frontispiece

Description

Interesting and ancient edition of the works of Publius Papinius Statius (P. Papinius Statius), Latin poet of the imperial age, printed in Amsterdam in 1653 by Ludovicus Elzevirius (Lodewijk Elzevier), as clearly indicated in the frontispiece:

“P. Papinii Statii Opera ex recensione et cum notis I. Frederici Gronovii”
Amsterodami, Typis Ludovici Elzevirii, Sumptibus Societatis, 1653.

The edition is curated and annotated by Johannes Fredericus Gronovius (Johann Friedrich Gronovius), an important classical philologist of the seventeenth century.

The copy opens with a valuable engraved frontispiece, figurative, characterized by a complex allegorical composition: at the top a winged genius holds up the drape with the title of the work, while at the bottom several figures are depicted along with an architectural view. The engraving remains largely legible and constitutes one of the most interesting decorative elements of the volume.

The preliminary pages follow, including the dedication “Christinae Reginae,” addressed to Queen Christina, and other introductory sections, including the “Dedicatio” and the “Elogia Statii.” An elegant typographic frieze with an emblem/ornament is also present. The actual work comprises, as visible in the photographs, the “P. Papinii Statii Sylvarum Libri quinque,” with ornamental drop caps and woodcut friezes. The edition is in Latin, with typography typical of learned seventeenth-century editions.

Declared contents: 424 pages.

The specimen preserves an antique binding, today heavily worn. From the photographs the wear and widespread abrasions to the boards are clearly visible, with losses and lifts of the covering material, deteriorated edges and corners, and traces of time. The spine and binding structure show heavy wear; in the cut the quires and the binding stitch structure are clearly visible.

The interior also presents the inevitable characteristics of a book over three centuries old: browning and yellowing of the paper, foxing, stains, halos, small tears and irregularities at the margins, along with sporadic marks and signs of use. The first leaves appear particularly delicate and show marginal deterioration. Some small marks and old annotations at the margins are also visible. Despite the conservation state, the text on the photographed pages generally remains legible and the frontispiece maintains good definition.

This is a specimen with a marked historical and bibliographical character, particularly interesting for collectors of old books, classical Latin texts, Elzevir editions and seventeenth-century European typography.

Conditions: antique specimen in worn condition, with evident signs of time and use. The photographs are an integral part of the description and should be studied carefully to assess the state of preservation, binding defects, paper, margins and overall condition. Unless directly verifiable from the images and the indicated number of pages, bibliographic completeness of the specimen in relation to any blank leaves, preliminaries, or plates provided by the edition is not guaranteed.

Note: description drafted with the aid of artificial intelligence systems based on the photographs and the information provided.