The Biblioteca Històrica of the Universitat de València has presented the book “Obres o trobes en llaors de la Verge Maria (València, 1474). Study and critical edition” by Antoni Ferrando Francés. This publication recovers and contextualises one of the most valuable jewels from the Valencian, bibliographical patrimony. It is the first literary book printed in a Romanic language in the Iberian Peninsula, an exceptional fragment of Valencian and European printing history of which the UV preserves the only example known in existence.
The presentation event was celebrated on Tuesday, 2 June in the Duc de Calàbria Hall of the Biblioteca Històrica at the La Nau Cultural Centre. Albert Moncusí, Vice-Principal for Culture, Sports and Social Bond; Cristina Tomás, Director of the Libraries and Documentation Service; Laia Miralles, lecturer from the Department of Catalan Philology; and Antoni Ferrando Francés, the author of the study and the critical edition himself, all participated in this event.
This book, which was co-edited by the Biblioteca Històrica and Publications by the Universitat de València (PUV) as part of the Inutilitas Librorum series, is the first critical edition to be completed of “Trobes”, the historical book published in Valencia by Lambert Palmart in 1474.
The original work accomplished a remarkable feat in the history of European culture: it represents the arrival of mobile printing to the Crown of Aragon and makes València one of the first cities in this continent to incorporate this revolutionary technology.
Antoni Ferrando, the author of the present study and Emeritus Professor at the Universitat de València, offers the opportunity to dive deeper into history and the cultural transcendence this work holds. He fulfils said task with an analysis of the poetic compositions presented in the literary competition celebrated in 1474 dedicated to Virgin Mary, which were mostly written in Valencian, as well as the circumstances of their printing.
This book shows the great cultural and literary dynamism Valencia had in the 15th century, which was the peak of the Valencian Golden Age, and provides new data about the authors, organisers and the historical context of this competition. Moreover, it reviews the circumstances of its impression and corrects numerous typographical errors resulting from the early development of printing. Furthermore, this edition modernises the graphical symbols of the text, it incorporates extensive philological notes and it includes this historical publication’s full facsimile. As a result, this book becomes an incredibly valuable tool for both specialists and general audiences who are interested in the history of Valencian culture and language.
During the presentation, the original edition of “Trobes” was exhibited. This publication is an exceptional work of bibliographical patrimony which is kept at the Biblioteca Històrica of the Universitat de València.