TRACING THE 1557 'PARADOXES’: DECIPHERING THE HANDWRITING, OWNERSHIP, AND LEGACY OF A HISTORIC EDITION

This article traces the rich history of the 1557 edition of Paradoxes, originally penned by Ortensio Lando and adapted into French by Charles Estienne. Printed by Parisian publisher Jehan Ruelle, the work explores provocative philosophical ideas and was later rebound in the 18th century with elegant gold tooling and marbled endpapers. The piece examines the book’s provenance, including a possible ownership link to the Maurissaro estate, and deciphers handwriting, binding styles, and printing emblems to reveal the enduring legacy of this humanist Renaissance text.