Invicti quinarii numeri series quae summatim a superioribus pontificibus et maxime a Sixto quinto res praeclare quadrienno gesta adnumerat ad eundem Sixtum quintum Pont. Opt. Max. Auctore Ioanne Pinadello Taruisino

4to (248x180 mm). 38, [2] leaves. Collation A-K⁴. Nice architectural title-page with the arms of Pope Sixtus V at the top and a view of Rome in the center, full-page portrait of Sixtus V surrounded by twenty small vignettes depicting the architectural and town-planning works undertaken during his pontificate, two full-page emblematic figures celebrating the name and lineage of Sixtus V Peretti (the pear tree, the three pears and the lion), a half-page scene showing the handing over of the keys to St. Peter within an elaborate woodcut frame, and moreover 16 half-page portraits of popes within woodcut borders: all engraved in copper by Giovanni Pinadello himself. Printer's device, colophon, and register on l. K4r. Later flexible vellum. Title page a bit soiled, some occasional marginal staining and foxing, old repair to the lower outer corner of l. H1 not affecting the text, reinforce to the upper margin of the last leaf recto which is blank. All in all a very good, wide-margined copy.

Rare original edition of this beautiful Roman illustrated book that, published at the beginning of the fifth and last year of his pontificate (1585-1590), glorifies Pope Sixtus V through the celebration of the number five. After the dedications (dated 5 June 1589) to the pope himself and to his nephew, Cardinal Alessandro Peretti (1571-1623), there follow the lives of the fifteen pontiffs who, before Sixtus V, were fifth in their names: from Boniface V to Pius V. The biographical entries are mostly taken from Platina. The volume closes with the life of Sixtus V himself and a list of the prodigies and mysteries connected with the number five.

The beautiful portrait of Sixtus V, often reproduced, which celebrates the works carried out by Felice Peretti in the manner of ancient altarpieces with the portrait of the saint in the center and his deeds all around, depicts the four obelisks, including the one in St Peter's Square, erected by him; the temple and dome of St Peter's which were completed by him; the Nativity Chapel in St. Mary Major; the ‘Holy Staircase' (“Scala Santa”); the opening of new streets; the restoration of the aqueduct of Septimius Severus (“Acqua Felice”); the additions and improvements to the Quirinal Palace; the reorganization of the Vatican Library; the construction of triremes; the translation of the body of Pius V; the canonization of St. Didacus; and more (cfr. I. Polverini Fosi , Justice and Its Image: Political Propaganda and Judicial Reality in the Pontificate of Sixtus V, in: “Sixteenth Century Journal”, vol. 24, no. 1, spring 1993, pp. 75-95).

Nothing is known about the life of G. Pinadello, a writer and engraver from Treviso. In 1592, he published in Rome an edition of De episcoporum dignitate by D. Simancas.

Edit 16, CNCE47426; BMSTC Italian, p. 520.

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