The Emblematum libellus of 1546
The 1546 edition was published in Venice by the sons of Aldus Manutius (whose famous device appears on the title page). This edition, by Green's count number 28 in the sequence of works with this title, is in fact an entirely new text, as the title indicates: Andrea Alciato's Little Book of Emblems, Recently Brought Forth to Light. The original, an octavo (signed A-F in 8), measures 15 x 9 cm.
This text contains 86 hitherto unpublished emblems, gathered by Petrus Rhosithinus. The layout is in the same style as the edition of 1534. As with the other editions, we provide a few sample pages.
Folio A1 recto (title page). There is also a colophon at folio 47 verso, which reads "Series literarum. A B C D E F. Omnes sunt quaterniones. Apud Aldi filios. Venetiis M.D.XLVI. Mense Iunio."Folio 7 recto (In fraudulentos: spotted lizard). This corresponds to Emblem 49 in the edition of 1621.
Folio 31 verso (Vigilantia, et custodia: lions and cocks). This corresponds to Emblem 15 in the edition of 1621.
Folio 26 verso (Adversus naturam peccantes: man defecating into a choinix). This is Emblem 80 in the edition of 1621. The emblem was suppressed in later editions. See our commentary.
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The principal editions: 1531, 1534, 1546, 1550, 1621
List of editions
Last modified 9 November 1995