Pietro de Natalibus - [Post Incunable] Catalogus Sanctorum - 1534

Lives, Miracles, and Legends: The Veneration of Saints during the Renaissance Revolution
Over 1600 woodcuts, including the splendid Crucifixion of Christ, full page, set within an architectural frame, with text in two colors. A beautiful frontispiece framed with woodcut depicting details of putti, some winged and monstrous, sirens, double-twisted columns, and a central text with red and black printing.
Imposing hagiographic repertoire of the 16th century, the famous Catalogus Sanctorum by Pietro de Natalibus, bishop of Equilio. It is one of the largest collections of saints' lives, passions, and miracles written in the medieval period and continually reprinted during the Renaissance due to its devotional and doctrinal significance. The work, enriched with an extraordinarily dense iconographic engraving apparatus, functions as a sacred encyclopedia that combines erudition and spirituality, demonstrating the continuity of saint veneration and its dissemination through the most important European printing centers. The edition described here, printed in Lyon in 1534 by publishers Hector Penet and Nicolas Petit, is particularly sought after for its rich illustrations and typographical elegance, making it a typical product of the Lyonese school, flourishing in the 1530s of the 16th century.
Market value
Copies of this Catalogus Sanctorum rarely appear on the antiquarian market, especially if complete and in good condition. Sale prices range from 4,000 to 9,000 euros depending on the preservation, the completeness of the illustrations, and the quality of the binding. Copies from important collections or in high-quality bindings have reached figures exceeding 10,000 euros.

Physical description and condition
Text in Gothic characters, with Roman numerals, embellished with about 1600 woodcuts, including the splendid Crucifixion of Christ, full page, in an architectural frame, with text in two colors. Very beautiful frontispiece in a woodcut frame depicting details of putti, some winged and monstrous, sirens, double-twisted columns, and central text with red and black printing, contemporary ownership signature. Numerous woodcuts within the text, depicting biblical scenes, episodes of the Passion, and portraits of saints. Printer's mark at the colophon, counter-printed without loss of text. Some stains and humidity halos, small holes and signs of wear, sepia ink censorship probably contemporary, complete, intact, and genuine copy. Pages generally well preserved. Paper reinforcement, with reproduction of text and engraving, in the upper corner of sheet XCV (m6). Pages (2); 8nn; 586; (2). Later binding, beautiful, elegant, and sturdy, with double framed fillets and gilded corners, impressed on the plates. Spine with 4 ribs, decorated in gold with multiple diamond-shaped motifs with an engraved reticule near the headbands, with a gilded framed title.

Full title and author
Catalogue of Saints
Lyon, at Nicolaus Petit & Hectorem Penet, 1534.
Pietro de Natalibus

Context and Significance
The Catalogus Sanctorum is one of the largest medieval hagiographical compilations, compiled at the end of the 14th century and disseminated in countless manuscript and printed copies. The work gathers in chronological and liturgical order the lives and miracles of over 1,500 saints, incorporating materials from Jacopo da Varazze's Legenda Aurea and other patristic and medieval sources. The Lyon edition of 1534 is set within a context of extensive hagiographical and devotional production, responding to the need to strengthen popular catechesis and knowledge of holy figures during a period of religious tensions that preluded the Catholic Reformation. The woodcut iconographic apparatus expands its educational and visual contemplation function, making it a highly impactful text in the figurative culture of the time.

Biography of the Author
Pietro de Natalibus (born in Venice around 1330 – died around 1406), bishop of Equilio (Jesolo), was the author of one of the most well-known catalogs of saints' lives from the late Middle Ages. His work, likely composed between 1369 and 1372, was widely disseminated throughout Europe and is considered a key text in late medieval hagiographic literature.

Printing history and circulation
The first edition of the Catalogus Sanctorum was printed in Vicenza in 1493. Numerous other editions followed in Venice and Lyon throughout the 16th century, indicating the high demand for the text. The 1534 edition, produced jointly by Hector Penet and Nicolas Petit, stands out for its extensive woodcut illustrations and the editorial quality typical of the Lyon workshops. The book was intended for both preachers and monastic libraries and major religious centers, becoming a fundamental tool for catechesis and preaching.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
Adams, Catalogue of Books Printed on the Continent of Europe, 1501–1600, Cambridge, 1967.
Graesse, Treasure of rare and precious books, Volume VI, 1863.
OCLC/WorldCat, various copies registered in European libraries.
National Library of France (BnF), digital copy of the Lyon edition of 1534.
Hain-Copinger, Repertorium bibliographicum, no. 7064 and following.