Hypnerotomachia Poliphili (The Strife of Love in a Dream)

Author: Written by Francesco Colonna

1499

Woodcuts, letterpress, bound volume

Minneapolis Institute of Art

An open book displays two woodcut illustrations and dense blocks of text. The left illustration shows a chariot procession with figures and banners, while the right depicts a similar procession with figures riding on elephants. Aldus Manutius, the publisher of this book, was one of the finest humanists of his time. His knowledge of ancient literature and his love for Greek and Latin writers of the past, led him to become a publisher of their masterpieces. Manutius established himself in Venice in 1499, one of the city’s most prosperous periods. Printing was still in its infancy, and he saw the opportunity to publish the rich store of texts in Venice’s manuscript collections. An anchor with a dolphin was the emblem of the press: the anchor symbolized stability, and the dolphin quickness. At the same time it paid homage to Venice, whose urban plan was in the