Francesco Barozzi | Il nobilissimo et antiquissimo giuoco Pythagoreo nominato Rythmomachia, Venice, 1572, eighteenth-century morocco gilt for Doge Marco Foscarini

Francesco Barozzi

Il nobilissimo et antiquissimo giuoco pythagoreo nominato Rythmomachia cioè battaglia de consonantie de numeri. Venice: Gratioso Perchacino, 1572

FIRST EDITION, 4to (193 x 141 mm). Collation: a–f⁴ g²: 26 leaves, title-page with woodcut device, woodcut initials and illustrations, eighteenth-century morocco gilt for Marco Foscarini, with his arms stamped in gilt to covers, morocco lettering piece to second compartment, slight worming (with paper repair slightly affecting woodcut chessboard on f4), some foxing, extremities rubbed

First edition of a treatise on the ludus philosophorum, or philosopher's game, a board game intended to teach and exercise principles of Boethian mathematics. According to his dedication to Camillo Paleotti, Barozzi had come upon Boissière's Latin treatise in Bologna six years earlier (1566), taught the game to Paleotti and Francesco Caporacia, and then decided to compose an Italian version.

PROVENANCE:

Marco Foscarini (1696–1763), Venetian poet, writer, and statesman, who served as 117th Doge of Venice

LITERATURE:

USTC 812369; EDIT16 4261; OPAC SBN BVEE001456