Editions of Dante in Bookshop Inventories between the Fifteenth and the Sixteenth Centuries, a Bookshop Ledger and a Contract for Printing: Some Possible Interpretations

This essay compares three inventories (of warehouses and bookshops) and a ledger - all datable to the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries - to assess the influence of the commentaries for the fortunes of Dante’s Commedia and the reading tastes of readers in Bologna and Ferrara. It will also provide a brief history of the reception of Dante’s works in this period.

Keywords: Book circulation; Dante reception; School and University programs; Vernacular culture; Classical culture; Bologna; Ferrara