Bidspirit auction | MODENA, YEHUDAH ARYEH (LEONE) DA.

MODENA, YEHUDAH ARYEH (LEONE) DA. Tzemach Tzadik [fables]. First Edition.  Numerous woodcut text illustrations. ff. 40. Closely shaved, few neat corner repairs. Modern vellum. 12mo. Vinograd, Venice 910. Venice, Daniel Zanetti, 1600. A SIGNIFICANT TEXT IN THE ANNALS OF EARLY HEBREW PRINTING: A RARE HEBREW ILLUSTRATED BOOK OF FABLES. Although the Tzemach Tzadik is based upon the Italian ethical work “Fior di Virtu” the author here broadened and molded it into a distinctive, first-class Jewish ethical treatise. He quotes liberally from the Bible, Talmud and later sources, which often serves to bolster the thoughts of Diogenes, Aristotle and other secular scholars presented. The Hebrew title, “A True Branch” (see Jer. 23:5), alludes to the works’ inherent value. The illustrations that appear in the work, 38 different woodcuts, deserve particular study: Each image illuminates the particular concept discussed in the text adjacent. Illustrated are dozens of virtues and vices, usually arranged in pairs, such as Love and Jealousy, Cruelty and Kindness, and Humility and Pride. The handsome pictures themselves include depictions of various animals, birds, and people, including even mythical creatures, such as mermaids (f. 19r) and devils (f. 23r). These are augmented by imagery from both biblical and rabbinic literature, for example, the flaying of Rabbi Akiva (f. 5r; see Tract. Berachoth 61b) and the embrace of David and Jonathan (f. 6r; see I Sam. 20:41). Although published anonymously, Steinschneider (Cat. Bodl. col. 1354, no. 34) detected the work was by Leone da Modena (1571-1648), noting the initials letters beginning chapter 1 (p. 4) form the acrostic “Yehuda Aryeh Me’Modena.” Steinschneider designates the work “opusculum inter omnia rarissimum.”  ONE OF A MERE HANDFUL OF HEBREW BOOKS WITH ILLUSTRATIONS PRINTED IN THE FIRST CENTURY-AND-A-HALF OF HEBREW PRINTING. MOST INFREQUENT TO APPEAR FOR AUCTION SALE.