Roman "Poetical Astronomy" of Hyginus
With a Handsome Series of Zodiac and Constellation Woodcuts
A classic work on the constellations, illustrated with beautiful woodcuts. The title page is also graced with a large and impressive woodcut illustrating Hyginus sitting on a throne, between Astronomy and Urania. The verso of the title has a full-page woodcut of a hand holding a large armillary sphere. In addition to these two woodcuts on either side of the title leaf, the book is generously illustrated with 47 additional woodcuts representing the signs of the Zodiac and the principal constellations. It is believed the illustrations were engraved by Giovanni Andrea, after those in the Ratdolt Edition of 1482. The charming printer's mark at the end shows a cat with a mouse in its mouth.
The Poeticon of Hyginus (64 BC - AD 17), initially published in 1482 by Erhard Ratdolt in Venice under the title Clarissimi uiri Hyginii Poeticon astronomicon opus utilissimum, is a significant work that delves into the myths associated with constellations, primarily based on the Catasterismi, often attributed to Eratosthenes. The present work, printed by the noted Venetian printer Melchiorre Battista Sessa (active 1506-1549), is similar in nature to the Fabulae, and is widely believed to be an abridgment of Hyginus' Genealogiae by an anonymous author in the 2nd century, who also incorporated a comprehensive treatise on mythology. The work's elementary errors in Latin and Greek suggest it may not have been actually authored by the distinguished C. Julius Hyginus, though it is often attributed to him by catalogers. The order of the star lists in Astronomica closely aligns with that in Ptolemy's Almagest, supporting the notion that it's a 2nd-century compilation.
Rarity
Extremely rare in the market. Only three sold examples noted in RBH in the last 25 years. The present example is the first we have handled.