1916 Rare Book- La Vita Nuova, The New Life by Dante Illustrated by Evelyn Paul
Author: Dante Alighieri. Translated by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Illustrated by Evelyn Paul.
Title: La Vita Nuova.
Publisher: New York, Brentano’s (George G. Harrap & Co.), circa 1916. First illustrated edition by Evelyn Paul, published in the U.S. concurrently with the first London edition.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 9.5 x 7.5 inches.
Pages: 161 pages.
Binding: Near fine original decorative beige cloth binding, richly adorned with an elaborate Art Nouveau design to the front cover and spine (hinges fine, binding firm - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. A remarkably fresh and attractive example.
Content: Very good, near fine condition. Clean, bright, and well-preserved internally, with only light, occasional signs of age. A beautiful copy.
Illustrations: Profusely illustrated by Evelyn Paul with exquisite colour plates and ornamental designs throughout, including illuminated title pages, decorative borders, and musical notation, all executed in a refined Pre-Raphaelite and Art Nouveau style.
Estimate: (USD 300 – 350)
The book: This elegant early 20th-century illustrated edition of La Vita Nuova presents Dante’s celebrated meditation on love and memory through the lens of the Pre-Raphaelite revival. Combining prose and poetry, the work chronicles Dante’s idealized love for Beatrice, weaving together autobiography, allegory, and spiritual reflection.
Evelyn Paul’s illustrations elevate this edition into a work of art in its own right. Her richly colored plates and intricate decorative schemes—clearly influenced by medieval manuscript illumination and the Arts and Crafts movement—harmonize beautifully with Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s translation, itself a cornerstone of the 19th-century rediscovery of Dante in the English-speaking world. The inclusion of ornamental typography and even musical settings further enhances the book’s immersive, almost liturgical aesthetic.
Issued simultaneously in London and New York, this Brentano’s edition represents the desirable first illustrated appearance of Evelyn Paul’s work for La Vita Nuova, and remains one of the most visually refined interpretations of Dante’s text from the period.
The author: Dante Alighieri (1265–1321), the great Italian poet of the Middle Ages, is best known for The Divine Comedy, but La Vita Nuova stands as one of his earliest and most intimate works. Written in a mixture of prose and verse, it explores his profound devotion to Beatrice and helped shape the tradition of courtly and spiritual love in Western literature.
The illustrator: Evelyn Paul (1883–1963) was a British illustrator associated with the late Pre-Raphaelite and Arts and Crafts traditions. Known for her refined line, luminous color palettes, and intricate decorative style, she produced a number of highly regarded illustrated books in the early 20th century. Her work for La Vita Nuova is among her finest achievements, blending medieval inspiration with a distinctly modern elegance.