Historia de Gli Riti Hebraici. [History of the Hebrew Rites]

AUCTION 23 | Tuesday, March 30th, 2004 at 1:00

Hebrew Printed Books & Manuscripts from The Rare Book Room of the Jews College Library, London The Third Portion

Back to Catalogue Download Catalogue

<Previous Lot

/226

Next Lot>

Lot 183

MODENA, JUDAH ARYEH (LEONE) DE

Historia de Gli Riti Hebraici. [History of the Hebrew Rites]

Second edition. Title within engraved architectural border incorporating roundelle portrait of the Author. Latin introduction; Italian text pp. (22),13-111, (1 blank), (4). Title stamped, few light stains in places. Modern boards. 12mo Fürst, II, p. 384; EJ, Vol. XII, col. 204

Venice: Giovanni Calleoni 1638

Est: $1,200 - $1,800

PRICE REALIZED $2,100

The first publication written by a Jew in modern times outlining the practices of Judaism for a Gentile readership. Published at the request of Sir Henry Wotton, English Ambassador to Venice, for presentation to King James I. First published in Paris in 1637, the book enjoyed great popularitry, eventually going through French, Dutch, German, English, Latin and—Hebrew translations! See C. Roth, Leone da Modena and England in: Studies in Books and Booklore (1972) pp. 203-4. The portrait of Modena on the title page is one of the earliest portraits of a Jew. (See Rubens 1729)