Aldus Manutius, the Gonzagas and a Lucky Frenchman. Some Examples from Aldus's Letters

Abstract

Among the letters written and received by Aldus Manutius, the ones held in the Archivio di Stato in Mantua are very interesting and rich in rare Aldus’s autographs. These letters testify both the commercial relationship between a book printer and seller and a very prestigious costumer, Isabella d’Este, and the curious episode of Aldus’s detention during his return to Venice in 1506. This contribution aims to present these precious texts and to analyse their edition by Armand Baschet in 1867, in view of a future critical edition of the whole known Aldus’s correspondence.