Jacobus de Cessolis | Tractatus de Scachis, 1505, the Zass-Blass copy

Jacobus de Cessolis

Tractatus de scachis mistice interpretatus de moribus per singulos hominu status. [Vienna: J. Winterburger], 1505

4to (204 x 144 mm). Collation: a-h⁴: 32 leaves, roman type, 36 lines, 14 in-text woodcut illustrations depicting the board and symbolised figures of the chessmen, modern half vellum over plain boards, inner margin with slight dampstaining and a few repairs, not touching text or illustrations

Portraying chess pieces as an allegory for social hierarchy, Cessolis uses the game of chess as a basis for lessons on morality in four books, with each tackling a different aspect of chess and how it reflects social order. The chess board, Cessolis suggests, represents the city of Babylon; the pieces represent the different social ranks.

For other early editions of this work see lots 10–12 and 14–15.

PROVENANCE:

Dr Robert Blass, inkstamp to endleaf

LITERATURE:

USTC 698952 (listing 7 institutional copies); VD 16 J 101