Lot 128: La Vita Nuova-Dante, Illus. Evelyn Paul, 1916

La Vita Nova [The New Life]--Dante, Illus. Evelyn Paul, [1916]: (1) "La Vita Nuova. The New Life." Translated by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Pictured by Evelyn Paul with Music by Alfred Mercer. London: Imprinted at ye Cheylesmore Presse, Coventry by W.W. Curtis Ltd; for George G. Harrap & Co., [1916]. Quarto. Full leather boards, spine and front cover lettered in gilt, with ornate geometric floral design at center of front cover and along edges, inside front and rear boards and endpapers with decorative floral pattern. With 16 color plates highlighted in gilt, vignettes in text. This volume, representing a rare printing by Cheylesmore Press of Coventry, England, is a superb example of a book produced during the "Golden Age of Illustration" (ca. 1900-1929). Dante's classic work "La Vita Nuova," first published in 1295, is the author's autobiographical acoount of his meeting and infatuation with Beatrice, who will later be featured in his more famous work "The Divine Comedy." This edition, translated by the English poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882) is illustrated by Evelyn Maude Blanche Paul (1883-1963), who was influenced by Rossetti's art and the Pre-Raphaelite movement he helped to define. Each page of this book reflects that influence, with enormous visual interest characterized by ornamentation of initial letters and/or borders and color illustrations. There is some rubbing and wear along spine, but otherwise the leather and gilt is crisp and in very good condition, with contents tight and clean.