Lot 255: 

MARCOLINI DA FORLI, Francesco (ca 1500-ca 1559). Le Sorti intitolare giardino di pensieri. Venezia: Francesco Marcolini, 1540.

2υo (327 x 226 mm). Large woodcut on title depicting a group of men and women in the "Garden of Thoughts" by Giuseppe Porta after Salviati, portrait of Marcolini on title verso within architectural border, 100 woodcuts comprising 50 representing abstract qualities, virtues, vices, etc., and 50 of philosophers, and numerous smaller woodcuts of playing cards. 18th-century German calf gilt (some discreet repairs to joints, light rubbing). Provenance: 1560 inscription on verso of title: "Fortunae cadit omnia"; acquired from H.P. Kraus, 1977.

FIRST EDITION OF THE MOST CELEBRATED BOOK OF GAMES OF FORTUNE OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY, with two cancel cards pasted on A4v, four on X4r and ink correction made on O2v as in the Hofer copy described by Mortimer. The source for the title scene--in which the figures in the foreground have a pack of cards and a copy of Marcolini's book--has been found in a design by Francesco Salviati engraved by Marco Dente. Giuseppe Porta was a pupil of Salviati's and took his professional name from his master. Servolini suggests that the portrait of Marcolini is by Titian, noting the resemblance between it and the Titian portrait of Ariosto copied in Lena (Venice: Francesco Bindoni and Maffeo Pasini, 1535). The answers of the philosphers in the second part were put into terzine by Lodovico Dolce. Brunet III:1407 to 08; Casali Annals 54; Mortimer Italian 279; Sander II:4321.

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