[Bodoniane] - Balestrieri-Faelli - Niccolò Paganini / Napoleone I° / Stanze - 1806-1835

PAGANINI AND NAPOLEON: THREE PAMPHLETS OF THE PARMA BODONIAN COLLECTION
Music, Napoleonic history, and the fine arts in three elegant Parma editions from 1806, 1807, and 1835: a tribute to Paganini published during his lifetime, a commemorative piece linked to Napoleon and General Junot, and the Stanzas dedicated to the painter Gaetano Callani.

ABSTRACT
Three autonomous pamphlets reveal the face of cultured and celebratory Parma in the early nineteenth century, through a Bodoni-inspired typographic layout: airy title pages, wide margins, crisp type, and small ornamental friezes. The set brings together two publications from the Luigi Mussi printing house and an edition by Rossi-Ubaldi, juxtaposing the political history of the Napoleonic era with Paganini’s music and Parma’s painting.

Of particular interest is the 1835 pamphlet dedicated to the “most celebrated baron knight Niccolò Paganini,” a testament to the violinist’s admiration while he was still alive. The pages recall his Parma performances in November and December 1834, also in the presence of Maria Ludovica, and contain a text about the unveiling of his bust in the Genoese villa of the Marquis Giancarlo Di Negro, which occurred on July 28, 1835. A document that allows one to grasp the contemporary construction of Paganini’s celebrity through poetic tributes, public commemorations, and recollections of concerts.

The Epigram by Luigi Balestrieri-Faelli, printed in 1806, introduces the Napoleonic theme. The inner heading expressly recalls Napoleon I and the sending of General Junot as governor-general of the States of Parma, Piacenza, and Guastalla. Completing the set are the Stanzas of 1807 for Gaetano Callani, signed by Balestrieri-Faelli, which couple military and musical glory with praise of the fine arts.

WHY TO BUY
A collection that unites three collecting spheres: Paganiniian testimonies, Napoleonic history, and Parmese typography in Bodoni-reminiscent taste. The 1835 Paganini tribute is the main musical lure; the 1806 Epigram offers an explicit reference to Napoleon and Junot; the Stanzas for Callani complete the portrait of the local artistic culture. The shared elegance of the layout keeps the lot coherent on a bibliographic and visual level as well.

MARKET VALUE
Approximate market estimate for the lot: €250–400. The main interest lies in the Paganini publication issued during the musician’s lifetime, flanked by the Napoleonic subject and the two Mussi impressions.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
Three pamphlets with distinct title pages, printed in black with Bodoni-type fonts, wide margins, and small typographic ornaments. The Epigram features a simple light-paper cover, with creases, wear, and edge irregularities. The Paganini pamphlet has a vignette depicting a lyre on the title page; pages 12–13 include text about the bust inauguration and the start of the notes. The Stanzas for Callani bear a small decorative frieze on the title page and the signature Balestrieri-Faelli at the bottom of page 15. Occasional foxing and spots, some staining and clouding, especially along the inner fold of the Paganini pamphlet, irregular edges, small tears, and marginal losses.

FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
First work: Luigi Balestrieri-Faelli. Epigram of Doctor L. Balestrieri-Faelli, Parmense. Parma, at Luigi Mussi, 1806. Commemorative composition for General Junot, with explicit reference to Napoleon I in the inner heading.

Second work: To the most celebrated baron knight Niccolò Paganini, supreme professor of violin on his musical-instrumental prowess. Parma, at Rossi-Ubaldi, 1835. Author not indicated on the photographed title page; Paganini is the recipient of the homage.

Third work: To the eminent Mr. Gaetano Callani, Parmese painter. Stanzas. Parma, by the Mussi Press, 1807. Poem signed by Balestrieri-Faelli at the end.

CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
The juxtaposition of the three texts shows how occasion poetry could celebrate political power, musical talent, and artistic prestige. In the Epigram, Napoleon’s name introduces praise for General Junot and his government; in the 1835 pamphlet, Paganini becomes the subject of an homage that preserves concrete references to his performances and to celebrations in his honor. The Stanzas for Callani draw attention to painting, placing the lot within the Parma cultural fabric.

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHORS
Luigi Balestrieri-Faelli, identified as a doctor and Parmese in the Epigram’s title page, is the author of the Napoleonic composition and signs the Stanzas dedicated to Callani. The two texts document his celebratory poetic activity in early nineteenth-century Parma. For the Paganini tribute, the available photographs do not permit a secure attribution of the author.

PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
The two Mussi editions were published in Parma in 1806 and 1807; the pamphlet dedicated to Paganini appeared from Rossi-Ubaldi in 1835. The Bodoni tradition’s connection finds a concrete link in the figure of Luigi Mussi, who trained as a punch-cutter under Giambattista Bodoni before starting his own typography. The title pages identify Mussi and Rossi-Ubaldi as the printers of the three works.

In old books, with a centuries-long history, some imperfections may be present, not always noted in the description. This listing contains AI Visuals. Refer to the original photographs to verify the object’s actual condition. The images are an integral part of the description.