Sepher Machberoth Immanuel [poetry]

AUCTION 51 | Thursday, June 23rd, 2011 at 1:00

Fine Judaica: Printed Books, Manuscripts Graphic & Ceremonial Art Including: The Alfonso Cassuto Collection of Iberian Books, Part II

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Lot 205

IMMANUEL BEN SOLOMON OF ROME

Sepher Machberoth Immanuel [poetry]

Second edition. Title within woodcut architectural border ff. (156). Small tears along lower margins of f. 5 and 9-13 affecting a few words, lower right portion of tile removed affecting base of column, signed by censor on of final leaf. Old vellum. 4to Vinograd, Const. 153; Yaari, Const. 119; Adams I-53

Constantinople: Eliezer ben Gershom Soncino 1535

Est: $2,500 - $3,000

PRICE REALIZED $2,500

Immanuel of Rome (c.1261-1368), a contemporary of Dante’s, known in Italian as Manoello Giudeo, modeled his literary work on the classic Sephardic poets - Solomon ibn Gabirol, Judah Halevi and Judah Al-Harizi. However, he also displayed a significant Italian influence - his famous vision of Heaven and Hell, influenced by Dante’s work, is contained in the final section. According to Cecil Roth, Immanuel of Rome was “the most remarkable and the most important figure of the Renaissance period in the Jewish world.” See C. Roth, The Jews in the Renaissance (1959) pp. 89-103. Due to what was seen by some as certain libertine sections within the Sepher Machberoth, R. Joseph Karo banned the work, and consequently, a full two centuries went by before a new edition appeared. See M. Carmilly-Weinberger, Censorship and Freedom of Expression in Jewish History (1977) pp. 214-7