New exhibit in the Morton Library

Aldus Manutius and the Renaissance
Printers of Venice

Aldus Manutius, foremost among the many talented printer/publishers of Renaissance Venice, died 500 years ago in 1515.  The William Smith Morton Library is fortunate to own several lovely volumes printed by the Aldine Press, and by Aldus' contemporaries in Venice. 

A new exhibit is now installed in the glass display cases in the entryway of the Library, displaying 14 of these fascinating works.  The Aldine Press was the official publisher of the reports and documents of the Council of Trent, two of which are on display.  They also invented the "libelli portatiles" or tiny portable books, ancestor of the modern paperback.  

Other unusual volumes from Venetian presses are included, such as the sermons of Savonarola, Homer's Odyssey in Greek, works by Boethius, Cicero, Erasmus and Peter Lombard, and two beautiful Latin Bibles.  Please come and see these precious objects, which have never been exhibited before, and read the information about Venetian publishing and the significance of these rare volumes.