Bodoni / Manara - Poesie - 1801

BODONI 1801: THE POEMS OF PROSPERO MANARA IN GRANDE CARTA, EXAMPLE WITH BARKS
Elegant Bodonian edition of the Poems of Marquis Prospero Manara, member of the Academy of Arcadia under the pastoral name Tamarisco Alagonio, printed in Parma in 1801 “Co’ tipi Bodoniani.” The work gathers lyrical compositions, sonnets, eclogues, occasional verses, and religious and celebratory poems, presented according to the refined neoclassical aesthetics of Giambattista Bodoni’s typography. The edition was promoted after the author’s death by his relatives and dedicated to Ferdinand I of Bourbon, Duke of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla. Particularly attractive is this exemplar, preserved with wide margins and with a “barbe” (long edge) characteristic much sought after in Bodoni editions.

REASONS FOR COLLECTING / WHY TO BUY
BODONIAN TYPOGRAPHY – Printed in Parma in 1801 on Bodoni’s famous presses, one of the leading typographers in Europe of all time.
EXEMPLAR IN BARBE – Wide untrimmed margins preserve the original appearance of the paper and strongly enhance the typographic quality of the edition.
POSTHUMOUS EDITION – Collection published after Prospero Manara’s death and introduced by his family, with a dedication to Ferdinand I of Bourbon.
ARCADIA AND NEOCLEANISM – An interesting testimony of Italian academic poetry between the 18th century and the early 19th century, perfectly integrated into Parma’s elegant editorial culture.

MARKET VALUE
Bodoni editions maintain a specific collectible market, particularly sensitive to margin preservation and the condition of the paper. For this 1801 edition of Prospero Manara’s Poems, in barbe and with good overall freshness but in simple binding and with some marginal defects and signs of use, a reasonable appraised value might be around €400–600.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
Contemporary or slightly later binding in brownish cardboard, back with a small printed paper label bearing the title. Exemplar with wide margins and in barbe, on good-quality paper, with Bodoni typography featuring wide white spaces, sharp type, and sober ornamentation. Signs of use, abrasions and small losses to the cover, especially the spine and edges. Interiors generally fresh, with sporadic foxing, slight stains and small marginal defects; some leaves show folds, marginal tears and irregular barbe, without apparent loss of text. On the front pastedown an ancient bibliographic annotation handwritten referencing “Brooker, no. 884.” In old books with a centuries-long history, a few imperfections may be present, not always noted in the description. This listing includes AI Visuals. Please refer to the original photographs to verify the item’s condition. Images are an integral part of the description. Pages: (2); 16 prelims; 132; (2).

FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
Poems.
Parma, Co’ Tipi Bodoniani, 1801.
Prospero Manara.

CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
The volume belongs to the mature phase of Giambattista Bodoni’s Parma activity, when his typography had already achieved international fame for the purity of the character designs, the page balance, and the print quality. In this context, even a relatively modest poetic collection like that of Prospero Manara gains particular interest as a fine typographic object. The page layout, the wide margins, and the sparing ornamental approach fully reflect the Bodoni neoclassical taste. The content documents the Arcadia milieu and eighteenth-century occasional poetry, with sonnets, eclogues, religious verses, celebratory pieces, and works dedicated to the Parma court.

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Prospero Manara was a Parma-based literary figure and poet of the 18th century, belonging to a local aristocratic family and active in the city’s cultural and academic circles. He belonged to the Academy of Arcadia under the pastoral name Tamarisco Alagonio. His poetic output bears Arcadian and neoclassical influences, with lyrical, pastoral, religious, and celebratory compositions. This collection was published after his death and stands as one of the most elegant testimonies of his literary production.

PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
The Poems were published in Parma in 1801 by Giambattista Bodoni’s types, at a moment of full maturity of his workshop. The volume was promoted by the Manara Brothers, who in the dedication recall the previously published translation of Virgil’s Eclogues by their late Father. The edition is not part of Bodoni’s monumental luxury runs, but it embodies all the features of his high-level production: chosen paper, sharp printing, strong typographic balance, and generous margins. Exemplars preserved in barbe are particularly desirable because they faithfully restore the original material appearance of the edition.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
Brooks, H. C., Compendious Bibliography of Bodoni Editions, no. 884.
De Lama, Giuseppe, Vita del cavaliere Giambattista Bodoni, Italian typographer.
Giani, Catalogues and studies on Bodoni editions.
ICCU / SBN, Poems of the Marquis Prospero Manara, Parma, Co’ Tipi Bodoniani, 1801.
CERL Thesaurus, Prospero Manara and Giambattista Bodoni.
WorldCat, Poems of the Marquis Prospero Manara, Parma 1801.
Bibliographies of the Academy of Arcadia and catalogues of eighteenth-century Parma authors.