Divine markets: producing, selling and reading Dante's Commedia in the early 1470

Abstract

The article examines the history of the first three printed editions of Dante’s Commedia (1472; Foligno, Mantua, and Iesi/Venice), analyzing their respective vicissitudes from a socio-economic perspective. Specifically, through a joint analysis of the relevant academic literature, the local socio-economic history, and the material provenances recorded within numerous copies, the essay intends to highlight to what degree and form commercial events such as regional fairs influenced the development and distribution of typographic products in Italy in the 1470s.

Keywords

• incunabula
• divine comedy
• dante
• johann neumeister
• early print
• fairs
• federico de' conti