8vo, (150 x 90 mm). 119 ff. A-P8. Lacking the final blank leaf P8. Leaf xv wrongly numbered xiii; xcix wrongly numbered ci; cii wrongly numbered ciii; ciii wrongly numbered cii. Nineteenth-century full red morocco, spine gilt with raised bands in six comparments, short title gilt in second compartment from head, place and date gilt at foot, covers tripled ruled gilt and ruled in gilt at edges, inner dentelles gilt, all textblock edges gilt, red silk ribbon place marker. Woodcut printer's device on title page. Italic type. In fine condition.

Indeed, a poetic work of fiction in dialogue form, the Celestina was probably meant to be read aloud, but in later years has often been performed as a play. On the other hand, it is considered fundamental to the origins of the modern novel, as well as of the modern play. A runaway best seller, with at least 60 editions prior to the end of the sixteenth century, it describes a love affair, with much bawdy and comic detail, with a tragic ending.

Despite its sexual explicitness and amoral pessimism, the Inquisition only excised some anticlerical passages.Fernando de Rojas (La Puebla de Montalbán, Toledo, ca. 1465/73-Talavera de la Reina, Toledo, 1541), of Jewish descent, studied law at the University of Salamanca, graduating around 1498. While at the university he began writing La Celestina (originally titled Comedia de Calisto y Melibea), which was published in 1499. Rojas was a successful lawyer and became mayor of Talavera de la Reina. There was some controversy over his authorship, but modern scholarship confirms him as author of the Celestina. He is not known to have written any other literary works. Italy was the first country to see Celestina in translation. The translation was not toned down as it was elsewhere. The translator, Alfonso de Ordoñez, was a close friend of Pope Julius II.

Issue: according to the Italian online union catalogue, there are 3 variant issues-this is termed variant C. Variants A and B cite Francesco Garrone as printer (given as Francesco Caron in the colophon), with some differences in the numbering.

Adams C1234. Palau 51191. Heredia 2303. This edition not in Penney's HSA STC: see p. 123 for a 1535 Italian translation by Ordoñez (but the HSA does have this edition). Not in Salvá. No Italian editions cited in British Museum Pre-1601 Italian STC or British Library Supplement. CCPBE locates a single copy in Spanish libraries, in the Biblioteca Nacional de España.

Provenance: bookplates of Ricardo Heredia and Kenneth Rapoport.