Original 1560 Printed Leaf From Pietro Andrea Mattioli’s Commentary on Dioscorides De Materia Medica - “De Quadrupedibus” - Renaissance Medical History Text


This listing is for an original 16th-century printed leaf from the Biblical Library of Stanley S. Slotkin. The leaf remains mounted to Slotkin’s original explanatory backing sheet, which includes a facsimile of the herbal’s title page identifying the work as printed in Venice in 1560 and bearing the title “Commentarii in libros sex Dioscoridis De Materia Medica,” translated as “Commentaries on the Six Books of Dioscorides’ De Materia Medica.” The leaf itself is an authentic Renaissance printing and not a reproduction.


Authored by the influential physician Pietro Andrea Mattioli, this work expands upon Dioscorides’ De Materia Medica, one of the most important medical texts in European history. Mattioli’s commentary helped transform classical natural knowledge into a practical reference used by physicians and scholars throughout the Renaissance. The typography, structured sectional layout, and dense Latin prose are characteristic of mid-16th-century scholarly printing, produced for serious academic and medical use.


Leaf Summary:


Text Featured on This Leaf:

This page comes from the De Quadrupedibus (“On Four-Footed Animals”) and is organized into Mattioli’s analytical divisions.


Together, these passages reflect the Renaissance effort to catalog animal life systematically while connecting contemporary study to ancient authorities.


Condition: Original antique condition consistent with age and historical use. The leaf and its backing sheet show expected age and storage-related wear from long-term rolled storage. Minor irregularities consistent with early hand-trimmed paper are visible. The leaf is moderately toned with darker edge toning and natural undulation. A small edge tear is present along the right margin without loss to the printed text. All text remains bold, dark, and fully legible with a strong impression characteristic of period letterpress printing. The leaf is stapled to the original Slotkin backing sheet as issued, which shows visible discoloration, creasing, and curling. No restoration or modern alteration has been performed. Please review all images carefully, as you will receive the exact item photographed. A structurally sound example for the period.


Size: Overall mounted sheet measures approximately 17.5 x 22 inches. Leaf dimensions are approximately 14 x 8.5 inches.


Authenticity/Provenance: Stanley S. Slotkin was a noted collector and compiler of early Biblical and religious texts. These leaves were assembled as part of his Biblical Library, with each original leaf mounted to a larger sheet bearing his typed description and bibliographic notes. This documented provenance provides historical context and attribution while preserving the original printed material. This is an original 1560 printed leaf and not a reproduction, facsimile, or modern decorative piece.


Shipping: This item will be shipped with preservation as the primary consideration. The leaf will not be flattened or pressed prior to shipment and will be shipped gently rolled in its current natural state inside a wide, rigid mailing tube for protection. The tube will be boxed to prevent compression. Buyers should expect the item to arrive rolled, consistent with its present condition.