Expositione

In-4 of 20 ff.

Full brown morocco, Jansenist style, gilt coat of arms stamped at the center of the covers, spine with raised bands decorated with a gilt interlaced monogram, gilt title, gilt roll-stamp on the edges, wide gilt inner roll-stamp, gilt edges over marbling. Binding signed Lortic.

204 x 131 mm.

Extremely rare incunabula edition of the commentary written by Savonarola while imprisoned awaiting his execution.

Savonarola would strongly influence Machiavelli, who witnessed the preacher’s execution.

The precious copy from the Prince of Essling, bound with his coat of arms.

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Savonarola, Girolamo. Expositione di frate Hieronymo da Ferrara dell’ordine de predicatori sopra il psalmo XXX.

After May 23, 1498.

Incunabula edition and second edition in the Italian language of the last text written by Savonarola in prison while awaiting his execution.

This is a commentary on Psalm XXX: "In te domine seravi."

The edition is illustrated with a full-page woodcut depicting the crucifixion, Mary, John, and Mary Magdalene kneeling at the foot of the cross.

Goff, S. 208; HCR, 14415; IGI, 8722; BMC, VI, 654; HAIN, 14415; Brunet, V, 158; Graesse, Trésor de livres rares et précieux, VI, Part 1, 279; Sander, 6783.

"During the trial, Savonarola was subjected to torture several times. In the intervals between interrogations, the pious prisoner withdrew into himself at the back of his cell, commenting on the psalms of David that offered an analogy with his situation. He paraphrased Psalm XXX: 'In te Domine speravi,' which is like a cry of hope to God, until his judges took away his pen and paper. This paraphrase became like a swan song for him; and Savonarola poured into it all his feelings of faith, trust, and resignation…" (Mémoires de l’Académie du Gard, January–October 1863, p.393)

At the end of 1495, under papal prohibition, Savonarola was no longer allowed to preach; hence the resort to writing, which allowed him to continue his efforts as a propagandist.

"On May 23, 1497, Savonarola was excommunicated by Alexander VI, and in 1498 the pope accused him of heresy, prophecy, sedition, and religious error. The Inquisition trial was led by the Dominicans. " (P. Boucheron, Médiévales, 1994, XIII, No. 27, pp. 1125–127).

The greatest sacred orator Italy knew in the 15th century gave his first sermons at San Gemignano in 1485 and took to the pulpit for the last time in Florence on March 18, 1498, to vehemently attack the Roman Curia and the Pope.

The last of the great minds of the Middle Ages, Savonarola (1452–1498) passionately preached the necessity of chastisement and renewal within the Catholic Church. Tried and condemned, he was burned at the stake in 1498.

Protestants early on claimed Savonarola as a forerunner of Luther.

Savonarola was the first to propose a form of political rationality and strongly influenced Machiavelli.

The latter attended the preacher’s execution.

Extremely rare incunabula edition of which Goff lists only 3 copies in American libraries.

A copy with wide margins (200 mm compared to 189 mm for the copy in the British Museum) bound with the arms of André-Prosper-Victor Masséna, Prince of Essling, and his motto “Victor et Fidelis”.

Provenance: Libraries of Essling (armorial binding) and Maurice Burrus, with ex-libris.