CASTIGLIONE, comte Baldassare Lot n° 36

Le Parfait Courtisan. Translation by Gabriel Chapuis. Paris, George Oyselet in Rouen for Claude Micard, 1585. Large volume in-8 (164 x 102 mm) of 16 ff.n.ch., 660 pp. 17 ff. (of which the last with the colophon). Ivory vellum with flaps, silvered (oxidized) Duseuil decoration, smooth spine (period binding). Brunet, I, 1630-1631. This beautiful edition contains the four books of the Courtisan, with the French translation by Gabriel Chappuis opposite the original Italian text. The text of this novel, which brings together all the values that the Renaissance demands of man, was translated three times. The first translation is attributed to Jacques Collin d'Auxerre (published in 1537 in Paris), then by Gabriel Chappuys (the present one) first published in Lyon in 1580), and finally a last time in 1690 by the abbot Jean-Baptiste Duhamel. The translation given by Gabriel Chappuis is considered to be the closest to the original text. Title with skilful restorations in the white margin, first and last quires with a few restored corners.