'As in the Venetian woodcut of the time, the illustrator concentrates on the essential lines he avoids any cross-hatching. Hind concludes that 'if any of the Venetian illustrations are Benedetto Montagna's design, nothing is more likely to be his than the Ovid.' Subsequent editions of Ovid were heavily dependent on these blocks' (Mortimer). He considers the possibility that the 'ia' is a signature of the block cutter Jacob of Strassburg, known to have been working at Venice about 1500. 'These illustrations for Ovid are among the best examples of the 'classic' style influenced by Andrea Mantegna, as discussed by Hind. All but four woodcuts are from the very rare Rosso-Giunta Ovid edition published in Venice in 1497.

The only book known under Mazali's imprint at Parma, he was established at Reggio Emilia until 1504 and Mazali's last known work. Second Parma edition of the Metamorphoses. Provenance: some early marginalia acquired from Lathrop C. 16th-century German blind-tooled pigskin backed wooden boards, remnants of clasps (some rubbing). Text in Roman type set within commentary in smaller Roman type, Roman marginalia, circular diagram of the winds on leaf, 59 woodcut illustrations, including three repetitions, most signed 'ia' or 'N,' a few foliated initials but most initials marked by guide letters only (slight darkening and light marginal staining).

183 of (184 leaves, lacking the final leaf blank). Edited with commentary by Raphael Regius. OVIDIUS NASO, Publius (43 B.C.-17? A.D.) Metamorphoses.

Ovid naso