Ludovico ariosto biography of abraham
Orlando furioso and Ariosto
Image credit: Ludovico Ariosto, Orlando furioso (Venice: Valgrisi, 1562). Courtesy of the George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives, Bowdoin College Library.
About the Author and his Epic Poem
Perhaps C.S. Lewis characterized Ariosto's Italian epic most succinctly: "In the foreground we have fantastic adventure, in the middle distance daily life, in the background a venerable legend with a core of momentous historical truth" (Griffin 1974, 49.) The Orlando furioso (also, Orlando Enraged) was written by Lodovico Ariosto. Born in 1474 in Reggio Emilia, he was from "an ancient and noble family of Bologna, whose surname originally appears to have been Da Riosto - possibly from Riosto, a small place in the Bolognese territory" (Gardner 1906, 2.) The poet's birth date coincided with or shortly preceded the birth of such Northern Italian figures as Michelangelo (1475-1564), Castiglione (1478-1529), Raphael (1483-1520), and Aretino (1492-1556; Griffin 1974, 17). His lifetime emcompassed the rule of 8 popes, 2 emperors, and 6 kings. The Battles of Lepanto (1499) and Ravenna (1512) provided important materials related to the weapons of war.
Ariosto's work is structured in 46 canti which contain stanzas comprised of eight lines in the ottava rima rhyme scheme. It is a continuation of the Orlando innamorato, written by Matteo Maria Boiardo (1441-1494) and left unfinished upon his death. Before he was hired as a court poet by the Este family, young Lodovico's years were ostensibly passed in the study of the law per the demands of his father, named Count Niccolo da Ariosti—a most accomplished Judge of the Twelve Sages of Ferrara whose office practically made him "the chief official of the city and head of the commune" (Gardner 1906, 15.)
Still, Lodovico took full advantage of his father's absence to write his own grand work which was influenced by the mar ARIOSTO, LUDOVICO. 1474-1533. Orlando Furioso in English Heroical Verse, by John Haringto[n]. [London: Richard Field, 1591.] The Italian Ludovico Ariosto (1474-1533) was the greatest narrative poet of the Italian Renaissance. His richly human masterpiece, "Orlando furioso," adds a native bent for narration to an exquisitely polished octave stanza. Ludovico Ariosto was born at Reggio Emilia: when he was 14, the family moved to Ferrara, where his father, Niccolò, was in service at the ducal court of the Este family. Five years later his father consented to Ludovico's abandonment of law studies in favor of literature. Ariosto was first employed at court in 1498; 2 years later his father died, leaving him to provide for nine younger brothers and sisters. In 1503 he entered the service of Cardinal Ippolito d'Este, who sponsored performances of Ariosto's neoclassical comedies, Cassariain 1508 and I suppositi in 1509. His later comedies are the unfinished I studenti (1518-1519), II negromante (1521), and the most successful of them, La Lena, performed under his direction in 1529. In 1513 Ariosto met the beautiful Alessandra Benucci, whom he married secretly in 1527 to avoid the loss of Church benefices. In 1518 he entered the service of the cardinal's brother, Duke Alfonso d'Este. Except for a 3-year period when he governed the bandit-ridden Garfagnana region for the duke, Ariosto was allowed more time for writing than he had been by Cardinal Ippolito. His Satire (Satires) treat ironically his problems in Ferrara, where the Este brothers failed to recognize his worth, in the Garfagnana, and on missions to the papal court. Ariosto's Orlando furioso, a continuation of Boiardo's Orlando innamorato, went through three redactions, or versions (1516, 1521, and 1532). It is a romantic, comicepic retelling of the story of Roland (Orlando), the medieval French hero. Among a myriad of episodes about dauntless knights and enchanting women, the three main narrative threads are the Saracens' siege of Paris and their final rout; the insanity of Orlando, who was .
4to (268 x 186 mm). [para] A-P Q R-2N 2O. Printed in two columns, ruled in red. Engraved hand-colored historiated title by Thomas Cockson with portrait medallion of the translator and 46 full-page metal cut illustrations hand-colored and heightened with gold, woodcut printer's device on colophon, decorative head- and tailpieces throughout. Contemporary paneled calf rebacked with original spine laid down, gilt cornerpieces, five raised bands, spine gilt in panels, old paper label in top panel, marbled pastedown endpapers. Custom quarter morocco box. Marginal finger-soiling and occasional other minor old staining, some offset, small tape repair to shoulder notes on verso of first plate, title with one inch closed tear to bottom edge and another short tear to bound edge, small rub to image F3v, binding rubbed, corners neatly repaired; overall a splendid copy with fresh colors.
Provenance: contemporary signature erased from title; "E.G.C." (gilt initials on spine); Hopetoun House (presentation label from Martin dated 1822, bookplate); W.A. White (ownership signature dated 4 June 1890); Arthur Amory Houghton (bookplate).
FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH, WITH EXQUISITE CONTEMPORARY HAND-COLORING. One of only 5 known copies on thick quarto paper, and one of only 8 colored copies known. Pforzheimer names the present copy in his discussion of color copies of the work: "The engravings in this book appear to have been regarded ... as of considerable interest for in the spring of 1593 there was controversy concerning a project for an edition in colors ... Nothing else seems to be known of that proposal but two copies are extant, both on special though different paper, with the plates hand-colored. One, the Hopetoun-White ... is printed on thick quarto paper, the type being re-imposed for that purpose. The other ... now in the lib Ariosto, Ludovico