Bidspirit auction | [LITERATURE] - Llull Ramòn (1232

[LITERATURE] - Llull Ramòn (1232 - 1315) - 1636. Apparently Unrecorded Edition Of Lull’s Tree Of Science. Unknown To Roger-Durant. Previously Located In The Mystical House Of Saint Mary Magdalene - Llull, Ramòn. ”Arbor Scientiae venerabilis et caelitus illuminati patris Raymundi Lulli Maioricensis. Opus nuperrime recognitum revisum & correctum.” Lyon: Jean Pillehotte for Jean Caffin et François Plaignard, 1636. 4to (225 x 158 mm), contemporary stiff vellum with handwritten title to spine, marbled edges, pp. [6] 681, [19]. Text in Latin on two columns. 16 full- and half-page woodcut illustrations representing several “Trees of Knowledge”. Unrecorded edition of Llull’s “Arbor Scientiae”, an encyclopaedic version of his “Ars magna”. The Arbor Scientiae is the exoteric version of his Ars Magna and consists of sixteen parts, or the sixteen Trees of Knowledge. The first fourteen trees constitute the hierarchy of reality: elemental, vegetal, sensual, imaginal, human, moral, imperial, apostolic, celestial, angelic, “eviternal” (pertaining to life after death), maternal (pertaining to the Virgin Mary), divine and human (pertaining to Jesus), and divine (pertaining to God) trees. The last two trees, the tree of examples and the tree of questions, show how to take concepts from the first fourteen trees and formulate examples and questions in order to further investigate the properties of reality. Each of the sixteen trees has a homologous internal structure, so that the presentation of all branches of knowledge unfolds harmoniously, showing the interrelationships and links between the different levels of reality: thus, all trees begin with a description of the general principles of each sector of knowledge, principles which are always the same, namely those of the “Ars Magna”. Condition: Uniformly toned, but a very good copy. Provenance: 1. Several contemporary and 18th century ownership inscriptions (crossed out) to title-page: Ad dusum [sic] fratris […] 2. Ex libris Gerdr[illegible] presbyter [?] Massiliensis. The word “Massiliensis” suggests that at least one former location of the book previously was in the town Marseille (France). 3. 18th century oval stamp (faded) with a central cross (possibly of a monastic order). 4. Inscription Domus S M[ari]e Magdalene Urbis to the lower blank margin of title-page. This last and only legible inscription is referred to the domus urbis (“house of the town”) of Mary Magdalene, possibly the Dominican convent at Plan-d’Aups-Sainte-Baume (near Marseille). The little town was transformed by the discovery on 12 December 1279, in the crypt of Saint-Maximin, of a sarcophagus that was proclaimed to be the tomb of Mary Magdalene: her cult was assiduously cultivated by Charles II of Anjou, who founded the massive Gothic Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene, placed under the new teaching order of Dominicans. The founding tradition held that relics of Mary Magdalene were preserved here: after landing in the Camargue, Mary Magdalene came to Marseille and converted the local people. Later in life, according to the founding legend, she retired to this cave in the Sainte-Baume mountains where she supposedly died. The tomb of Mary Magdalene is the most mystical place in Provence and the third most important tomb in Christianity after that of Mary in Ephesus and Peter in Rome. References: USTC 6904532 records only one copy, but indicating it as “Lost Book” (possibly the present one). Unknown to Rogent-Durant, Bibliografia de les Impressions Lullianes (Barcelona, 1927), who mentions two 1635 issues (no. 210 and 211) and the 1637 edition (no. 212). •⁠> This lot is located in and ships from Italy. An Italian export license is required prior to shipment, which may cause delays. The Auction House will take care of the export license at no cost to the buyer. Import duties and taxes in the destination country are the buyer's responsibility.