Chiari - Zingana - 1762

LA ZINGANA: EGYPTIAN MEMORIES BETWEEN EROTISM, ADVENTURE, AND 18th-CENTURY NARRATIVE
ABSTRACT
Rare Parmense edition of La Zingana. Egyptian Memories by madama N.N., published in 1762 by Stamperia Carmignani and curated by Abbot Pietro Chiari. The work belongs to the fortunate genre of eighteenth-century imaginary memoirs, where fictitious autobiography, travel, and adventure novel blend into a narration rich with extraordinary episodes. The protagonist recounts events set between Egypt, the East, and Europe, in keeping with the era’s taste for distant worlds and exotic stories. The text, presented as a translation from a French original written by the protagonist herself, testifies to the diffusion of sentimental and adventurous fiction in the eighteenth century. A valuable specimen preserved in an elegant orange-colored cartonnage binding, with decorations on the spine and a figured flyleaf.

WHY TO BUY
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY LITERATURE – Interesting example of Italian invention-narrative of the eighteenth century, between travelogue and fictitious memoirs.
PIETRO CHIARI – Work belonging to the narrative production of one of the most read and prolific authors of the Italian Enlightenment.
PARMENSE EDITION – Important testimony of Stamperia Carmignani’s production, among the most active printers in Bourbon-era Parma.
HISTORICAL BINDING – Specimen preserved in an elegant antique binding in orange cartonnage, characteristic of eighteenth-century private collections.

MARKET VALUE
A work of interest to collectors of eighteenth-century Italian literature, adventure fiction, literary orientalism, and the history of Parma printing. Indicative valuation:
copies commonly found: €150–250
specimen with antique binding and figured flyleaf: €300–500
copies with notable provenance, annotations, or distinctive editorial features: over €600
The preservation of the historical binding and the original engraving constitutes a collecting premium.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
Binding in orange cartonnage, with backstrip covered and decorated with gilded scrollwork and abbreviated title. The cover shows widespread abrasions, superficial paper losses, and signs of age consistent with use and age of the specimen. Engraved flyleaf depicting the protagonist with caption “Zingara.” Pages slightly browned, with foxing and time traces. Present are some marginal stains and light humidity traces, more evident in the last leaves, without significant loss of text. Margins preserved. In old books with a multisection history, a few imperfections may be present, not always noted in the description. This listing includes AI Visualizations. Refer to the original photographs to verify the object’s actual conditions. Images form an integral part of the description. Pp. (2); 8; 232; 8nn; 200; (2).

FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
La Zingana.
Parma, for Filippo Carmignani, 1762.
Pietro Chiari.

CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
La Zingana sits within the great European season of eighteenth-century novel, characterized by the success of fictitious memoirs, travelogues, and narratives set in exotic locations. In the eighteenth century, the East represented a privileged space of literary imagination: Egypt, Arabia, and the Levant became settings for extraordinary adventures, unusual encounters, and sentimental misadventures. The work reflects the public’s taste for geographical and cultural curiosity, combining elements of picaresque romance, gallant narrative, and entertainment literature. The Parmense publication at Filippo Carmignani testifies to Parma’s role as a notable editorial center in disseminating contemporary literature.

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Pietro Chiari (Brescia, 1712 – Brescia, 1785) was an Italian writer, poet, playwright, and novelist. After an early religious training with the Society of Jesus, he pursued a literary career, becoming one of the most prolific and popular authors of the eighteenth century. He composed numerous theatrical works, novels, and tales, characterized by adventurous plots, sentimental elements, and strong narrative skill. His production represents a significant moment in eighteenth-century Italian literature, marking the shift from Arcadian tradition toward new forms of modern narrative.

PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
The edition was printed in Parma in 1762 at Filippo Carmignani, printer by privilege of S.A.R. The narrative works of Pietro Chiari enjoyed wide diffusion in the eighteenth century due to their popular character and their ability to appeal to readers’ tastes for sentimental novels, adventures, and exotic tales. Carmignani editions were destined both for aristocratic private libraries and for the educated public of Italian towns. Copies preserved with original or near-original antique bindings are today particularly sought after.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
ICCU – Catalog of the National Library Service (SBN)
WorldCat – International Catalog of Libraries
CERL – Consortium of European Research Libraries
USTC – Universal Short Title Catalogue
Palatine Library of Parma – Historic catalogs
EDIT16 / historical Italian printing repertoires
Repertori of eighteenth-century Italian literature
Bibliography of eighteenth-century Italian writers
Historic catalogs of Filippo Carmignani editions, Parma
Critical studies on Pietro Chiari and eighteenth-century Italian novel
Repertories of European adventure fiction and fictitious memoirs of the eighteenth century