Aldine Editions
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
the books printed by Aldus Manutius and his family, in Venice (1490-1597). They comprise the first editions of Greek and Roman classics; others contain corrected texts of modern classic writers, as of Petrarch, , or Boccaccio, carefully collated Dante Dante with the MSS. All of them are distinguished for the remarkable correctness of the typography. The editions published by Aldo Manuzio (1450-1515), the father, form an epoch in the annals of printing. No one had ever before used such beautiful Greek types, of which he got nine different kinds made, and of Latin as many as 14. It is to him, or rather to the engraver, Francesco of Bologna, that we owe the types called by the Italians Corsivi, and known to us as italics, which he used for the first time in the octavo edition of ancient and modern classics, commencing with Vergil (1501). From 1515 to 1533 the business was carried on by his father and brother-in-law, Andrea Torresano of Asola, and his two sons-the three Asolani. Paolo Manuzio (1512-1574), Aldo's son, was succeeded by his son, the younger Aldo (1547- 1597). The printing establishment founded by Aldo continued in active operation for 100 years, and during this time printed 908 different works. The distinguishing mark is an anchor, entwined by a dolphin, with the motto either of "Festina lente" or of "Sudavit et alsit." Among the Aldine works which have now become very rare may be mentioned the "Horæ Beatæ Mariæ Virginis," of 1497, the "Vergil" of 1501, and the "Rhetores Græci," not to mention all the editions, dated and undated, from 1490 to 1497.
What Has Changed in the Last Century
The bibliographical facts Collier's set down in 1921 have held up remarkably well: Aldus Manutius did print the first editions of many Greek classics, the dolphin-and-anchor with "Festina lente" is still the mark collectors look for, and the 1501 octavo Vergil is still the book usually named as the debut of italic type in a printed text. Two things have shifted. Scholars now date the founding of the Venice press to the mid-1490s rather than 1490, and they give the punchcutter Francesco Griffo of Bologna full credit for cutting both the Greek and the italic types o or ror rather to the engraver," as Collier's half-conceded — noting that he and Aldus fell out bitterly over the work. Aldus is also now routinely credited with shaping modern punctuation, and the quincentenary of his death in 2015 brought a wave of exhibitions and fresh census work on the surviving Aldines.
Written for this edition, 2026.