Secondary sourceBook1501
Vergilius, edited by A. P. Manutius, on vellum
Virgil · 1501
A 1501 printed edition of Virgil's works, the first book ever printed entirely in italic type, made as a pocket-sized classic.
This printed edition carries Virgil's own works, showing how central his poetry remained to readers over 1,500 years after his death.
About this source
What it is
This is a printed edition of the works of Virgil, edited by Aldus Manutius and printed in Venice in 1501. It is held in the Réserve des livres rares of the Bibliothèque nationale de France, and a related copy survives at the British Library.
It was the first book ever printed using italic type, designed to be small and portable.
Why it matters
This edition shows how Virgil's writing was still central to education and culture more than 1,500 years after his death. The choice to print his works first in this new italic style, and to make the book pocket-sized, shows how printers like Aldus Manutius wanted to spread classical texts widely among readers of the Renaissance.
Look closer
- Why might a printer choose Virgil's works to introduce a brand-new typeface?
- What does the decorated initial and portrait panel suggest about how much value was placed on this book?
- What does the small, portable size of the book tell us about who was meant to read it?
This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Virgil on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.
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