Abstract

The aim of this paper is to reconstruct the cultural and editorial project of the great printer Aldus Manutius, analysing the first editions of his catalogue. Thus I offer a map of all the editiones principes, focusing on the choice of the authors, on their production in diachronic perspective and on the relation between first editions and reprints. In particular, I try to stress Manutius’s ability to select texts that were never printed before, in order to improve and to spread the knowledge of greek language and ellenistic culture. Besides, my researches led me to notice that the Aldine typographical Annals are still those compiled by Renouard in 1834: it is therefore necessary to take into account the most recent contributions about Aldine prints in order to realise updated Annals. In this perspective, I propose to realise an Aldine Digital Catalogue to record Aldine editions according to the latest bibliographical criteria, and to collect all the bibliographical records, both historical and critical. This way of proceeding will also give the possibility to gather all the available digital reproductions, so as to realise in the end a visual and bibliographical Aldine Catalogue.