Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

“The day after Demetrio took up his customary life. Only one fact was unusual: along the way to his office a dog was following him. It was Thursday. As the dog nuzzled up closer, he warned him: ‘Go away, leave me in peace, ...’ ‘Beb,’ replied Thursday warmly, scrutinizing the man with eager wide eyes.” It is the voice of conscience, that makes itself heard, and asks Demetrio, as everyone of us, the strength and the wisdom to listen to it. Milan, 1890.

A rich and multi-faceted aspect of the Italian Renaissance, the comedy has been largely overlooked as a cultural force during the period. In Renaissance Comedy, editor Donald Beecher corrects this oversight with a collection of eleven comedies representative of the principal styles of writing that define the genre. Proceeding from early, ‘erudite’ imitations of Plautus and Terence to satires, sentimental plays of the middle years, and later, more experimental works, the development of Italian Renaissance comedy is here dissected in a fascinating and vivid light. This first of two volumes boasts five of the best-known plays of the period, each with its own historical and critical introduction. Also included is a general introduction by the editor, which discusses the features of Italian Renaissance comedy, as well as examines the stage histories of the plays and what little is known, in many cases, of the circumstances surrounding their original performances. The introduction raises questions concerning the nature of audiences, the festival occasions during which the plays were performed, and the academies which sponsored many of their creations. As a much-needed reappraisal of these comedic plays, Renaissance Comedy is an invaluable look at the performance history of the Renaissance and Italian culture in general.

Through a combination of interpretive literary criticism, art historical analysis and cultural and intellectual historiography, Kristin Phillips-Court offers detailed readings of individual plays juxtaposed with specific developments and achievements in the realm of painting. Revealing more than historical connections between artists and poets such as Giorgione and Tasso, Mantegna and Trissino, or Michelangelo and Caro, the author locates the history of Renaissance art and drama securely within the history of ideas.