Imprese nobili, et ingeniose di diversi prencipi et d'altri personnagi illustri : nell'arme et nelle lettere : le quali, col disegno loro estrinseco, dimostrano l'animo, et la buona o mala fortuna de gli autori loro
An Italian emblem book of 1578, engraved by Battista Pittoni with verses by Lodovico Dolce and published by Girolamo Porro in Venice, presenting the personal imprese of princes, soldiers and men of letters for a courtly readership. Each plate sets a small landscape or device scene inside a heavy strapwork cartouche hung with masks, fruit swags, putti and scrolling banderoles, with a separate framed text panel below, giving designers ready-made ornamental borders, motto ribbons and compact symbolic vignettes.
