Bruno, Giordano Candelaio comedia. Paris: Guillaume Julian, 1582 12mo (138 x 80mm.), woodcut initials and headpieces, leaves 51-54 duplicated, contemporary limp vellum with foredge flaps folded flat, modern drop-backed box, a few light stains on title-page, lacking two pairs of alum-tawed ties AN UNSOPHISTICATED AND COMPLETE FIRST EDITION of Bruno's only published drama, a philosophical comedy set in contemporary Naples which is a satire on greed; the "candle" is that of moral judgement (as well as a euphemism). Bruno ignores or transforms standard dramatic features; for instance the expected prologue is replaced by an antiprologue and a proprologue, and the reader is told that the actors are indisposed, indicating perhaps that it was never designed to be performed. The language is a mix of high and low registers, academic terminology and vulgar obscenities. This is the first of Bruno's works in the vernacular as well as his first "non-academic" publication. On the title-page he describes himself as an "academic of no academy"; at the time of publication he was living in Paris (he arrived the previous year), where Henri III was engaged in debates about philosophy and natural sciences and cosmology, including heliocentrism and the possiblity of infinite worlds. Henri invited Bruno to court to discuss his art of memory and Bruno dedicated De umbris idearum (also 1582) to the king. Many of Bruno's works from this time on were in the living vernacular rather than Latin, indicating that his new philosophy was alive rather than dead and unchanging. The anti-hero of the play is Bonifacio, a superstitious fool who dreams of magic potions; the conjuror Scarumuré is happy to indulge him. The characters quote from Hermes Trismegistus (see lot 142), Albertus Magnus, Avicenna and pseudo-Geber. Bruno is thought to be setting up superstitious magic for ridicule while finding a place in the world for "natural" magic, that of nature. The play is therefore in line with Bruno's thinking in his more "serious" publications such as De umbris idearum and Spaccio de la bestia trionfante (1584). LITERATURE:Edit16 7708 (listing 14 copies, all in Italy); Salvestrini 28 PROVENANCE:"Saintes 7 Aout 1919", pencil inscription on inside lower coverCondition reportCondition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate Condition 11 of the Conditions of Business for Buyers (Online Only) is not applicable to this lot. The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The
Bruno, Giordano Candelaio comedia. Paris: Guillaume Julian, 1582 12mo (138 x 80mm.), woodcut initials and headpieces, leaves 51-54 duplicated, contemporary limp vellum with foredge flaps folded flat, modern drop-backed box, a few light stains on title-page, lacking two pairs of alum-tawed ties AN UNSOPHISTICATED AND COMPLETE FIRST EDITION of Bruno's only published drama, a philosophical comedy set in contemporary Naples which is a satire on greed; the "candle" is that of moral judgement (as well as a euphemism). Bruno ignores or transforms standard dramatic features; for instance the expected prologue is replaced by an antiprologue and a proprologue, and the reader is told that the actors are indisposed, indicating perhaps that it was never designed to be performed. The language is a mix of high and low registers, academic terminology and vulgar obscenities. This is the first of Bruno's works in the vernacular as well as his first "non-academic" publication. On the title-page he describes himself as an "academic of no academy"; at the time of publication he was living in Paris (he arrived the previous year), where Henri III was engaged in debates about philosophy and natural sciences and cosmology, including heliocentrism and the possiblity of infinite worlds. Henri invited Bruno to court to discuss his art of memory and Bruno dedicated De umbris idearum (also 1582) to the king. Many of Bruno's works from this time on were in the living vernacular rather than Latin, indicating that his new philosophy was alive rather than dead and unchanging. The anti-hero of the play is Bonifacio, a superstitious fool who dreams of magic potions; the conjuror Scarumuré is happy to indulge him. The characters quote from Hermes Trismegistus (see lot 142), Albertus Magnus, Avicenna and pseudo-Geber. Bruno is thought to be setting up superstitious magic for ridicule while finding a place in the world for "natural" magic, that of nature. The play is therefore in line with Bruno's thinking in his more "serious" publications such as De umbris idearum and Spaccio de la bestia trionfante (1584). LITERATURE:Edit16 7708 (listing 14 copies, all in Italy); Salvestrini 28 PROVENANCE:"Saintes 7 Aout 1919", pencil inscription on inside lower coverCondition reportCondition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate Condition 11 of the Conditions of Business for Buyers (Online Only) is not applicable to this lot. The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The
Try LotSearch and its premium features for 7 days - without any costs!
Be notified automatically about new items in upcoming auctions.
Create an alert