Cento Favole Morali (100 moral fables)
The author of these rhyming fables, Verdizotti, is also identified in the publisher's preface as the designer of its illustrations, which he drew directly on the woodblock for the cutter. Apart from these woodcuts and one signed pen drawing not else can be securely attributed to Verdizotti, who is mentioned admiringly by Vasari, Ridolfi, and Dolci as an intimate friend and gifted student of Titian (and possibly his secretary after the death of Aretino). The noble Venetian practiced poetry and drawing as an amateur and is said to have painted a number of small landscapes enlivened by little figures, which were rare even in his lifetime and can no longer be identified. It is possible to get some idea of what these paintings were like from many of these illustrations, in which landscape plays such an important role.
In the fable with an illustration on page 35, the crow, driven by hunger, has seized upon the serpent, who twists around and sinks his venomous fangs into the crow's leg. The scene is full of action as the wounded bird rises up in pain and opens his beak to cry out, 'What am I come to? The food that I hoped would sustain my life has instead caused my death.' The moral is that when acting in one's own interest, it is important to consider the harm that this action may cause others or risk coming to a miserable end.
In the fable with an illustration on page 35, the crow, driven by hunger, has seized upon the serpent, who twists around and sinks his venomous fangs into the crow's leg. The scene is full of action as the wounded bird rises up in pain and opens his beak to cry out, 'What am I come to? The food that I hoped would sustain my life has instead caused my death.' The moral is that when acting in one's own interest, it is important to consider the harm that this action may cause others or risk coming to a miserable end.
Artwork Details
- Title: Cento Favole Morali (100 moral fables)
- Author: Giovanni Maria Verdizotti (Italian, Venice 1525–1600 Venice)
- Artist: Illustrations designed by Giovanni Maria Verdizotti (Italian, Venice 1525–1600 Venice)
- Publisher: Giordano Ziletti (Italian, active 1549–83)
- Date: 1570
- Medium: Printed book with woodcut illustrations
- Dimensions: 8 7/16 x 6 5/16 x 11/16 in. (21.4 x 16 x 1.7 cm)
- Classification: Books
- Credit Line: Gift of Philip Hofer, 1948
- Object Number: 48.165
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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Giovanni Maria Verdizotti
Giordano Ziletti
1577
Multiple artists/makers
1586
Multiple artists/makers
December 1499
Ugo da Carpi
Baldassarre Tommaso Peruzzi
ca. 1520–27
Marcantonio Raimondi
Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio or Santi)
ca. 1510–20
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