Commentaria.

Philiponus, Joannes

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Venice: Heironymous Scotus, 1550-1551. Quarto. 75ff. Woodcut device on title page and last leaf, several geometrical text figures, two ten-line and two five-line initial capitals. A book of commentary by the sixth-century Greek philosopher Philiponus, who also went by the name John the Grammarian for his scholarship on language. This copy of Commentaria features a colorful binding of Italian decorated paper, likely from the eighteenth century, and an unusual pastepaper spine. Front and back covers each bear two repeated illustrations of architectural landmarks within oval frames, and these are surrounded by floral designs. One of the illustrations shows the famous bridge at Bassano designed by the great sixteenth-century Italian architect Palladio; the other is likely a depiction of La Rotonda in Vicenza, also designed by Palladio. Slight wear to lower extremity and upper corners, worm holes to bottom interior margins affecting about two-thirds of the leaves to varying degrees, else fine and bright. Bookplate. (Item ID: 20999)