Milestones of Science Books

CERVANTES SAAVEDRA, Miguel de.

Novelas exemplares.

Brussels: Huberto Antonio, 1625.

2nd Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. Item #002412

8vo (171 x 101 mm). [16], 608 pp. Woodcut initials in text. Contemporary plain vellum with yapp edges (little soiling, spotting and browning to boards, spine with sign of removed shelf-mark labels). Light even browning of text, very little occasional spotting, a few small wormholes to lower blank margin of first few pages, old ink signature to title-page. Provenance: Landesbibliothek Halle (small deaccession ink stamp on title verso). A fine, untouched copy with good impression on strong paper. ----

Palau 53412; Peeters-Fontainas 241; Simon Diaz 8, 561; USTC 5038771. The second Brussels edition of Cervantes' Novelas, originally published in Madrid in 1613. Very rare with only four copies recorded at auction in the past 50 years. Novelas exemplares ("Exemplary Novels") is a series of twelve novellas written by Miguel de Cervantes between 1590 and 1612. First published in Madrid in 1613 by Juan de la Cuesta, the novellas were well received in the wake of the first part of Don Quixote. They are usually grouped into two series: those characterized by an idealized nature and those of more realistic nature. Those idealized in nature are characterized by plots dealing with amorous entanglements, by improbable plots, by the presence of idealized characters and psychological development, and the low reflection of reality. The novellas show the political, social and historical problems of Cervantes' Spain and show off his immersion in Spain's life and how aware he was of the prevailing problems.

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