Gabriele Giolito de' Ferrari
Encyclopedia
Gabriele Giolito de' Ferrari (c. 1508 – 1578) was a 16th century Italian printer active in Venice. He was one of the first major publishers of literature in the vernacular Italian language.
to Giovanni the Elder and Guglielmina Borgominieri. In 1523 he established the Libreria della Fenice (Bookshop of the Phoenix
), a printing press and bookstore, with his father in the Rialto
district of Venice, at the time a major European center of the new art of printing. When his father moved to Turin
, Gabriele operated the press initially with his brothers and then with increasing autonomy, acquiring shops in Naples
, Bologna
, and Ferrara
.
He married Lucrezia Bin in 1544 and with her had twelve children. He died at Venice in 1578.
's Commedia, edited by Lodovico Dolce
and for the first time published with the title Divina Commedia. Giolito was also well known for his printer's device
, which had many variations but was most often represented by a phoenix emerging from flames atop a globe with the initials G.G.F.
Early life and career
Giolito was born at TrinoTrino
Trino is a comune in the Province of Vercelli in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 50 km northeast of Turin and about 15 km southwest of Vercelli, at the foot of the Montferrat hills....
to Giovanni the Elder and Guglielmina Borgominieri. In 1523 he established the Libreria della Fenice (Bookshop of the Phoenix
Phoenix (mythology)
The phoenix or phenix is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indian and Phoenicians....
), a printing press and bookstore, with his father in the Rialto
Rialto
The Rialto is and has been for many centuries the financial and commercial centre of Venice. It is an area of the San Polo sestiere of Venice, Italy, also known for its markets and for the Rialto Bridge across the Grand Canal....
district of Venice, at the time a major European center of the new art of printing. When his father moved to Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Gabriele operated the press initially with his brothers and then with increasing autonomy, acquiring shops in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
, and Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
.
He married Lucrezia Bin in 1544 and with her had twelve children. He died at Venice in 1578.
Publications
Giolito's press published a mix of Renaissance classics and new authors. Giolito was dedicated to publishing works in the lingua volgare, or Italian vernacular, as opposed to Latin, Greek and other languages not familiar to the common population. He was famous for his 1555 edition of Dante AlighieriDante Alighieri
Durante degli Alighieri, mononymously referred to as Dante , was an Italian poet, prose writer, literary theorist, moral philosopher, and political thinker. He is best known for the monumental epic poem La commedia, later named La divina commedia ...
's Commedia, edited by Lodovico Dolce
Lodovico Dolce
Lodovico Dolce was an Italian theorist of painting. He was a broadly-based Venetian humanist and prolific author, translator and editor; he is now remembered for his Dialogue on Painting.-Biography:...
and for the first time published with the title Divina Commedia. Giolito was also well known for his printer's device
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
, which had many variations but was most often represented by a phoenix emerging from flames atop a globe with the initials G.G.F.
Death
Gabriele Giolito de' Ferrari died in Venice in 1578. The press was taken over by his sons, Giovanni the Younger and Giovanni Paolo, who continued to publish until 1606.External links
- http://www.italica.rai.it/rinascimento/parole_chiave/schede/giolito.htm