Belleforest/Bandel - Histoires Tragiques - 1616

BANDEL (Matteo Bandello) / BELLEFOREST (François de)
The Second Volume of the Tragical Histories, extracted from the Italian of Bandello, containing yet eighteen Histories. In Lyon, at Pierre Rigaud’s, at the corner of Ferrandiere Street, under the sign of Fortune, 1616 (M. DC. XVI). Dedicated to Mademoiselle the Procurator General.

A 16mo volume printed in Lyon by Pierre Rigaud with superb banners, typographic tail-pieces, and decorated initials engraved on wood.

Full brown morocco binding of the 17th century, spine with four ribs adorned with gold-tooled compartments, title piece in red/brown morocco stamped “HISTOIRE DE BANDEL” and edition label “TOM. II”. Mottled or marbled edges of the period. Wear and losses to the binding. Binding nevertheless solid. Interior with water stains more or less pronounced.

This second volume of the Tragical Histories translated from the Italian by François de Belleforest is a veritable gold mine of dramatic material for Renaissance European literature. A prolific translator but a great amplifier of Bandello’s original texts, Belleforest does not hesitate to enlarge the tragic and moralizing features to captivate the French public.

The centerpiece of this volume is without question the story of the Duchess of Amalfi (Story XIX). This bloodthirsty and passionate tale will directly inspire the Elizabethan dramatist John Webster for his famous tragedy The Duchess of Amalfi (1612), as well as other plays exploring the dark mazes of absolute power, court secrets, and familial vengeance in Italy.