GERSON (Jean). De immitatione (sic) Christi... - Lot 45 - Ader

GERSON (Jean). De immitatione (sic) Christi et de contemptu mundi in vulgari sermone. Venice: Matteo Capcasa for Lucantonio Giunta, November 26, 1489 [Followed by] : Lucidario . Venice: Theodore Ragazzone, November 9, 1491. - 2 works in one volume in-8, 198 x 136: (80 ff.) [sig. a-k8]; Roman car., 35 lines - (36 ff.) [sig. a-d8 e4]; Roman car., 36 lines. Cold-stamped brown calf, diamond-shaped irons in lines around and in the centre of the covers, framed fillets, smooth spine (contemporary binding). From imitation christi: Goff, I-45. - Hain, 9127. - Polain, 2075. - Lucidario: Polain, 2528. MEETING OF TWO ITALIAN INCUNABLE RARES . The first work is a copy of the third edition in Italian of the Imitation of Jesus Christ, coming out of the Venetian presses of Matteo Capcasa (14..-1495) for Lucantonio Giunta (1457-1538). This anonymous work was certainly the most printed in the 15th century, after the Bible. There are no less than 75 incunabula editions. The authorship of the text is still debated, but before the 17th century two names were frequently advanced, that of Thomas a Kempis (1380?-1471) and that of Jean Gerson (1363-1429), as is the case with this edition. The first edition in Italian appeared in Venice in 1488, printed on 22 March by Giovanni Rosso. The second came out of the Milanese presses of Ulric Scinzenzeler on July 17, 1489, followed by the VERY RARE INCUNABLE EDITION IN ITALIAN OF THE LUCIDARY. Coming out of the Venetian presses of Theodore Ragazzone, it was printed on November 9, 1491 in Roman characters . It is a translation or adaptation of the Elucidarium attributed to Honorius Augustodunensis (1080?-1137?), which forms a treatise of elementary religious instruction that was widespread throughout Christian Europe for centuries. This edition is extremely rare. It is not listed in WorldCat and is missing from most specialized