Prudentius

The early fifth-century Christian poet Prudentius was highly esteemed in the Renaissance. This pocket-size edition of his works may have had a place in the Laubespine library; as yet, the evidence is not entirely clear. The binding is certainly an excellent example of the “primitive” fanfare style favored by Laubespine, whose Vignola—displayed at the beginning of this exhibition—replicates the decorative scheme almost exactly, only several sizes larger. The Atelier au Vase must have produced this binding as well. Furthermore, there is a twin binding on a closely related work, a 1563 Seneca issued in the same format by the same publisher, which is just the sort of pairing Laubespine would have liked.

Prudentius (348–ca. 410 CE)
Opera (Complete Works)
Edited by Victor Giselin
Paris: Hiérosme de Marnef, 1562
The Morgan Library & Museum, Purchased With the Toovey Collection, 1899; PML 1103