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Books, Autographs & Prints

Friday 15 December 2023, 11:00 AM • Rome

52

Girolamo Maggi, Jacopo Fusti

Of the fortification of the city, 1583

Estimate

€ 1.000 - 2.000

Sold

€ 1.290

The price includes buyer's premium

Information

Venice, Camillo Borgominiero, 1583. In 2nd. 3 parts in 1 volume. Printer's mark on the title page, numerous woodcut illustrations of plans and views, battle formations, military equipment of which several on double pages, woodcut headers and initials, several handwritten notes, external white margin of the first installments with defects due to humidity, first installment and cards N3-4  loose, plate present in leaves N3 and N4 has a small tear on the internal margin, some water stains, woodworm work on the first 4 leaves, some light reddening, rare foxing, small holes on the last leaf, contemporary parchment binding, traces of laces, defects on the edges of the plates and on the back, some small stains, defects.


Specialist Notes

Second edition of this famous military treatise. Girolamo Maggi, born in Anghiari (around 1583) and died on 27 May 1572 in Istanbul, was a multifaceted figure: jurist, poet and engineer. After studying in Perugia, Pisa and Bologna, he distinguished himself for his linguistic competence in Latin, Greek, Hebrew and Spanish and dedicated himself to jurisprudence influenced by Alciato and Bartolo da Sassoferrato. In addition to his legal interests, Maggi became passionate about ancient history, studying epigraphy and architecture and collecting ancient tombstones. Returning to Anghiari, he was instructed by his fellow citizens to go to Cosimo I de' Medici, establishing relationships with figures such as Pietro Aretino. Maggi distinguished himself as a judge and military engineer in Famagusta during the Ottoman invasion of 1571. Besieged, he designed defenses against the Turks. After the conquest of the island, imprisoned in Constantinople, he wrote treatises on bells and torture, dedicating them to European ambassadors in the hope of obtaining freedom. However, fleeing from the imperial embassy, he was captured, sentenced to death, and his treatises were published posthumously in 1608 and 1609.

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