II. Editorial tricks

Jean Chrysostome. De virginitate liber. Transl. Julius Pogianus. – Anvers: Christophe Plantin, 1565. In-16.

The Latin translation of Chrysostom’s Greek treatise on the virginity of the Virgin Mary was commissioned by the short-lived Pope Marcel II († 1555) from the Italian humanist Giulio Poggiano (1522-1568), and the text was published in-4 format in Rome by Paulo Manuzio in 1562. Despite the different address on the title pages, these two copies of the in-16 Antwerp edition formed the same collaborative project: the name of Christophe Plantin, printer, reappeared in the colophon at the address of Antheunis Thielens (1528-1598), who paid for the privilege and the paper, whereas Plantin compensated the compositors and printers. Thielens, a recent printer (from november 1564) who did not yet possess his own device or equipment, had to request collaboration with Plantin in order to share investment risks and production costs, which incidentally were reduced by the choice of the small format.

Cultura Fonds: NC 927 (Christophe Plantin)

Cultura Fonds: NC 270 (Antheunis Thielens)

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