Alchemical Hands in the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili

Why It Matters for the Hypnerotomachia

Aldus Manutius published the HP as one of his most ambitious productions in 1499, at a time when his press was primarily known for Greek texts. The HP stands apart from his other publications in its elaborate illustration program and vernacular Italian language.

Why It Matters in Scholarship

Farrington (2015) contextualizes the HP within Aldus's career, arguing that its production represented a commercial and aesthetic experiment distinct from the press's Greek scholarly mission. Davies (1999) provides the standard biography of Aldus as printer and publisher.

Key Passages / Evidence

• <!-- Page 14 --> of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili. I am indebted to the following sources: Lowry, World of Aldus Manutius; H. George Fletcher, In Praise of Aldus Manutius: A Quincentenary Exhibition... [Word_Image_2015_apr_03_vol_31_iss_2_Farrington_Lynne_Though_I_could_lead_a_quiet]
• ... his career, Aldus issued commissioned works and occasional pieces that remained outside of his project to produce scholarly editions. These commissioned works are what printers refer to as job... [Word_Image_2015_apr_03_vol_31_iss_2_Farrington_Lynne_Though_I_could_lead_a_quiet]
• ... title page, including this highly visible example of the Aldine prin- ter’s device, meant to advertise to potential buyers that this is an Aldine imprint. In addition, we find the familiar... [Word_Image_2015_apr_03_vol_31_iss_2_Farrington_Lynne_Though_I_could_lead_a_quiet]

Source Documents

Lefaivre 1997 (Alberti attribution); O'Neill (Durham thesis); Priki (text-image boundary); Priki 2009 (reception); Russell 2014 (PhD thesis); Trippe 2002 (text-image); Word_Image_1998_jan_vol_14_iss_1_2_Curran_Brian_A_The_Hypnerotomachia_Poliphili; Word_Image_2015_apr_03_vol_31_iss_2_Farrington_Lynne_Though_I_could_lead_a_quiet