A handsome copy of the first work of the Brescian Accademia degli Occulti, a beautifully illustrated anthology of poetry in fourteen chapters, each one dedicated to a particular member of the Academy, with excerpts of their poetry and introduced by their respective imprese, engraved by Bartolomeo da Brescia (1506-1570). In the armorial binding of George Granville Leveson-Gower, the 1st Duke of Sutherland (1758 - 1833), and subsequently in the collection of former Bletchley Park codebreaker and Monuments Man, Major Giles H. Robinson (1913-1987).
“The first contribution to emblematics by a literary society” (Landwehr) the fourteen chapters here are introduced by local artist Bartolomeo da Brescia’s beautiful, full-page engraved imprese in lavish mannerist borders, addressed to each individual by their chosen Accademia sobriquet - Abstruso, Chiuso, Desioso, Nubiloso, Oscuro and so on - followed by an explanation of the impresa and its relation to each individual, written by the Accademia‘s secretary Bartolomeo Arnigio (1523-77, himself a poet and physician). The poet Alberto Lollio (1508-69), for example, adopted the name ‘Arcano’ and the motto ‘taciturnior’ (f.19); his emblem is a thrush, which, Arnigio explains, is a bird that rarely sings, particularly fitting for Lollio’s aversion to garrulousness. ‘After a digression on silence, a virtue much lauded by the Ancients’, Arnigio applauds Lollio’s taciturnity and makes much of the power of his words when he does speak (Gibert, p.504).
There are some charming emblems here, including a sea urchin for academician ‘Abstruso’, and, interestingly, an almost astronomically accurate representation of a star system in the emblem for academician ‘Nocturno’, jurist Giovanni Antonio Taglietti; the star cluster Taygeta, in the constellation of Taurus. Arnigio explains that the emblem refers to Taglietti’s surname; here, the stars and a glow-worm illuminate the night sky. This emblem would later be copied by Camerarius.
The Brescian Accademia degli Occulti, less well-known than its Florentine counterparts, was founded in the second half of the sixteenth century by poets Alfonso Caprioli and Giulio Martinengo, and patron Girolamo Bornati. The membership was eclectic, and reflected the breadth of subjects discussed by the society; principally founded to promote poetry and literature, its remit expanded to consider philosophy, the natural sciences and mathematics. Accordingly, its members included agrarians - Agostino Gallo (‘L’incognito’) - poets and writers, jurists, and others.
Inner margin chipped at foot to first six or so leaves, text block occasionally trimmed to outer plate mark, but a lovely copy.
Provenance: 1. George Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland (1758 - 1833) with his arms on upper cover (BAB stamp 5) and armorial bookplate as Marquess of Stafford. He succeeded his father as 2nd Marquess of Stafford in 1803, was made a Knight of the Garter in 1807. He was created Duke of Sutherland 28 January 1833, a matter of months before his death. Sold by his descendant, the 4th Duke of Sutherland, at the sale of the library at Trentham Hall, Staffordshire, Sotheby’s 23 November 1906, lot 1422. 2. Major Giles H. Robertson (1913-1987), neat inscription to second front endpaper, dated 19th September 1941, and exlibris - with portrait of Robertson? - to first free endpaper; art historian, professor and expert on Italian Renaissance art. After studying Classics at Oxford and a grand tour of Italy, he became personal assistant to the director of the Fitzwilliam Library, Cambridge, before being drafted into the British Army during the Second World War. “He was then transferred in July 1941 to the Government Code and Cipher School (GC&CS) at Bletchley Park, the location of secret British operations to decode Nazi encryptions, most famously the ENIGMA code. Following the end of hostilities, he applied for service with the British MFAA and was assigned to the MFAA Branch of the Control Commission for Germany- British Element. Robertson conducted inspections of several churches, museums, archives, and castles in the region of Westphalia, Germany, including Schloss Rheda, where he reported that three hundred documents belonging to the Prussian State Archives had been looted by billeting Allied soldiers. In September 1945 he supervised the evacuation of paintings belonging to the Landmuseum Münster from repositories in Vörden and Corvey to safety at Schloss Nordkirchen… Following his return to England in late 1946, Robertson began a long career as a popular professor of Italian art at Edinburgh University in Scotland, and wrote on several Renaissance artists and their work” (Monuments Men & Women Foundation [online access]). The date of the inscription here would suggest Major Robertson purchased this volume during his time at Bletchley.
Landwehr 10; Praz pp.77, 246. CNCE 55. D. Gibert, ‘L’orazione “della eccellenza e dignità della lingua toscana” di Alberto Lollio (1508-69) edizione critica“’, Aevum 63.3, 1989 pp.501-30.
