Lazari Bayfii /A. Thylesii Cosentini - De re navali; De vasculis; De re vestiaria; Libellus de coloribus; - 1537

BAÏF, Lazare de (Lazari Bayfii)

Annotations on the interpretation of the law II De captivis & postliminio reversis, in which De re navali is treated, by the author’s own revised version. Likewise the same author’s Annotations on the tract De auro & argento legato, in which the kinds of clothing and vessels are explained. All of these with illustrations drawn from ancient monuments to elucidate the argument. Also Antonii Thylesii De coloribus libellus, not unrelated to the colors of clothing. Basle, at Hieronymus Froben and Nicolaus Episcopius, 1537.

In-4° (206 × 147 mm). Pp. 303 (of 323, i.e. 319), (1 of 9). Text in Latin with extensive notes in Greek. Froben’s typographic mark (caduceus) at the title page. Numerous woodcuts (about 32, many full-page) depicting ancient ships (biremes, triremes, quinqueremes, heptaera, etc.), cargo and war vessels, Roman costumes and garments, vases, amphorae and goldsmiths’ objects, drawn from ancient monuments (especially from the Trajan Column) and other finds. Historiated initials.

Contents
The work brings together three archaeological-philological treatises by Lazare de Baïf (c. 1496–1547), humanist, diplomat and ambassador of Francis I, supplemented by a fourth text:
1 De re navali (pp. 9-148 approx.): commentary on Book II of the Digest De captivis et postliminio, dedicated to ancient naval matters (long and onerous ships, armaments, oars, sails, on-board structures).
2 De re vestiaria (from p. 149): on kinds of garments and clothing in antiquity.
3 De vasculis (from p. 241): on vases, containers and objects in gold and silver.
4 Antonii Thylesii Cosentini Libellus de coloribus (from p. 305): tract on the Latin names of colors by Antonio Telesio (1482–1534), a pioneering work of chromatic lexicography later used by Goethe in Farbenlehre.

Edition edited by Charles Estienne. This is the first Basel edition (and the second overall after the Paris edition of Robert Estienne of 1536) of this fundamental humanist text. The illustrations, partly full-page, are among the most important sixteenth-century representations of ships and objects of classical antiquity.

Importance and rarity
A work of great significance for the history of archaeology, classical philology and sixteenth-century scientific illustration. Baïf, a leading figure of Renaissance French culture and father of the poet Jean-Antoine de Baïf, combines rigorous juridical-lexical analysis of the Pandects with a concrete antiquarian interest, documented by woodcuts derived from Roman monuments. The De coloribus by Telesio is one of the earliest systematic attempts to classify Latin color terms.

The Froben edition of 1537 is sought-after and not common on the market, especially in contemporary binding.

Provenance and condition
Ex libris araldic of the Duke of Fife (“Duke of Fife”) with crest and motto Virtute et opera; A.G.T. label; ancient manuscript ownership note. Scattered ancient handwritten annotations.

Contemporary full dark leather binding entirely decorated in blind on the boards with concentric borders of geometric and floral motifs, spine with raised bands.

Missing leaves S3-4, C2, F3-4, L2, N3-4, P3-4 and the entire final quire Q (index). Some minor restorations at the outer upper corner of the first leaves; small tear at the upper margin of the same (not touching text); leaves slightly yellowed with faint halos; two tiny woodworm holes not affecting the text.

A specimen of notable documentary and collecting interest nonetheless, enriched by aristocratic provenance and an equally period binding.