HUGH OF ST. VICTOR, pseudo.Allegoriarum in utrunq[ue] testamentum libri decem.
Paris, In Officina Henrici Stephani, [1517]
£2,350.00
FIRST EDITION. 4to in eights. ff. (vi) 100. Roman letter. T-p with figurative ornamental border. Woodcut initials. 17th century calf, gilt, boards with double fillet border and fleuron cornerpieces, spine gilt in compartments, joints restored. Inner edge of t-p margin restored. Bookplate removed from front pastedown. Two ll. with contemporary ms. annotations, underlining and marginal marks, C16th 3-line Latin ms. inscription below colophon with reference to Saint John Chrysostom. Later annotation to f. 78r. A very good, clean copy.
The first printed appearance of this work of biblical exegesis, historically attributed to the Saxon theologian and monk Hugh of St. Victor (d. 1141), as well as to Peter Comestor (d. 1178), but since attributed to a successor of Hugh’s, the Scottish theologian Richard of St. Victor (d. 1173). The author takes a series of biblical events, from both Testaments, and expounds on their ‘mysterious’ significance, often splitting them into their allegorical and moral meanings. No distinction is apparently made between real biblical ‘events’ and images or ‘stories’ such as those of the parables, all of which are subjected to allegorical or ‘tropological’ readings, in which a moral lesson is derived through exegesis; the preface states that sacred histories are distinguished from the profane by their ability to impart such moral instruction.
Hugh, whose theology influenced this work, is known principally for his mystical approach, seeing in biblical exegesis the opportunity for reflection on God’s works. According to the Hugonian model, the literal interpretation of the biblical ‘story’ – always important – influenced the moral or mystical exegesis, which was more subjective or contemplative, and without which the literal interpretation was nothing. Hugh drew heavily on Augustine’s exegesis on Genesis, taking the creation of the world as an example of God’s divine wisdom as well as an analogy for his decision to send Christ into the world; this work begins with an exegesis of Genesis, including comparisons between Adam and Christ and Eve and the Virgin Mary.
The Victorine school was revived in the early 16th century by the French humanist Jacques Lefèvres d’Étaples (d. c. 1536) and his follower Josse van Clichtove (d. 1543), librarian of the Sorbonne, who attributed several works to Hugh, including this one; Henri Estienne had printed the Opera of Hugh of St. Victor in 1506, though without this work (see Renouard, p. 3). This humanistic circle of theologians, who also enthusiastically printed (and misattributed) patristic texts, saw in the Victorine school and its exegesis of Genesis (as they did in the Church Fathers) an assertion of the dignity of man and man’s potential to reflect the wisdom of God.
Renouard 19:1; Adams I, H 1144; not in BM STC Fr. or Brunet.
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HUGH OF ST. VICTOR, pseudo.
THE VICTORINES REVIVED
HUGH OF ST. VICTOR, pseudo. Allegoriarum in utrunq[ue] testamentum libri decem.
Paris, In Officina Henrici Stephani, [1517]£2,350.00
FIRST EDITION. 4to in eights. ff. (vi) 100. Roman letter. T-p with figurative ornamental border. Woodcut initials. 17th century calf, gilt, boards with double fillet border and fleuron cornerpieces, spine gilt in compartments, joints restored. Inner edge of t-p margin restored. Bookplate removed from front pastedown. Two ll. with contemporary ms. annotations, underlining and marginal marks, C16th 3-line Latin ms. inscription below colophon with reference to Saint John Chrysostom. Later annotation to f. 78r. A very good, clean copy.
The first printed appearance of this work of biblical exegesis, historically attributed to the Saxon theologian and monk Hugh of St. Victor (d. 1141), as well as to Peter Comestor (d. 1178), but since attributed to a successor of Hugh’s, the Scottish theologian Richard of St. Victor (d. 1173). The author takes a series of biblical events, from both Testaments, and expounds on their ‘mysterious’ significance, often splitting them into their allegorical and moral meanings. No distinction is apparently made between real biblical ‘events’ and images or ‘stories’ such as those of the parables, all of which are subjected to allegorical or ‘tropological’ readings, in which a moral lesson is derived through exegesis; the preface states that sacred histories are distinguished from the profane by their ability to impart such moral instruction.
Hugh, whose theology influenced this work, is known principally for his mystical approach, seeing in biblical exegesis the opportunity for reflection on God’s works. According to the Hugonian model, the literal interpretation of the biblical ‘story’ – always important – influenced the moral or mystical exegesis, which was more subjective or contemplative, and without which the literal interpretation was nothing. Hugh drew heavily on Augustine’s exegesis on Genesis, taking the creation of the world as an example of God’s divine wisdom as well as an analogy for his decision to send Christ into the world; this work begins with an exegesis of Genesis, including comparisons between Adam and Christ and Eve and the Virgin Mary.
The Victorine school was revived in the early 16th century by the French humanist Jacques Lefèvres d’Étaples (d. c. 1536) and his follower Josse van Clichtove (d. 1543), librarian of the Sorbonne, who attributed several works to Hugh, including this one; Henri Estienne had printed the Opera of Hugh of St. Victor in 1506, though without this work (see Renouard, p. 3). This humanistic circle of theologians, who also enthusiastically printed (and misattributed) patristic texts, saw in the Victorine school and its exegesis of Genesis (as they did in the Church Fathers) an assertion of the dignity of man and man’s potential to reflect the wisdom of God.
Renouard 19:1; Adams I, H 1144; not in BM STC Fr. or Brunet.