NEGRI, Cesare Nuove inventioni di balli, opera vaghissima di Cesare Negri milanese detto il Trombone, famoso e eccellente professore di ballare, nella quale si danno i giusti modi del ben portar la vita, et di accomodarsi con ogni leggiadria di movimenti alle creanze, et gratie d’amore. Convenevoli a tutti i cavalieri et dame, per ogni sorte di ballo, balletto, et brando d’Italia, di Spagna, et di Francia. Con figure bellissime in rame, et regole della musica, et intavolatura, quali si rechieggono al suono et al canto. Divisa in tre trattati…

The first illustrated book on dancing to be published in folio.

The first edition under this title.

Second edition, that reproduces the milanese one from 1602, which is nowadays unobtainable. Références : Brunet, IV, 34 et Supplément II, 13 ; Cicognara, N°1725 ; Fétis, VI, 295 ; Eitner, VII, 166 ; Hoepli, Cento libri preziosi, etc).

« Les deux ouvrages sont rares et assez recherchés » écrit Brunet IV, 34.

No copy of the 1602 edition has appeared on the market for more than 30 years and only 2 copies of the present edition are recorded during the same period of time. One of them was sold for 15 000 $ about ten years ago.

The work which is dedicated to Philip III of Spain is illustrated with the full-page portrait of the author and 58 superb full page engravings showing ballets and dancers, drawn by Mauro Rovere and engraved by Leon Pallavicino.

The present copy bears the rare cancel sticked on page 182.

The present copy is unwashed and preserved in its Italian binding, produced about 1720. It comes from the Neapolitan collection P. Drayton (Naples 1857).