In 16° (150x100 mm); frontispiece with rich chalcographic frame and allegorical figures, 5 n.n. cards with the tables "de tutte le materia”, 2 blank cards, 4 c.n.n. (out of 5, missing the second frontispiece placed on A1 paper, which precedes the dedicatory letter to the bishop Michel de Silva), cards numbered CXCV with several misnumberings (numbered by hand in ancient times 208), (1); italic text, speaking initials in the first, second, third and fourth book, in woodcut. 19th century half leather binding with corners, modern endpapers, gold title on the spine with three raised bands. It is a dialogue treatise in four books set in 1507 in the ducal palace of Urbino. It resolves to "form with words a perfect courtier", or to define the profile of the right man of the court. In Book I, Ludovico di Canossa defines his physical and moral qualities: he must be of noble birth and possess natural charm, culture and an excellent knowledge of the arts of chivalry. In Book II, Federico Fregoso speaks of the way in which the courtier must regulate his qualities according to the situations, also dwelling on the witticisms and the “lively responses” that best suit him. In Book III, Giuliano de' Medici describes the figure of the lady of the court and outlines her characteristics, while in Book IV Ottaviano Fregoso establishes the relationship between the courtier and the prince and discusses his role as advisor, how he must push the lord to virtuous actions, to take note of reality and not to be blinded by flatterers. Book IV also contains a description of the ideal prince, who cannot exercise his power outside of morality. All aspects of the courtier's life must be governed by "good judgment", that is, a continuous comparison of one's ideals with a constantly changing reality. Alongside this, "grace" represents the ideal quality for imposing one's image, but this requires a commitment to dissimulation such as to make every artificial behavior appear spontaneous and natural. The most important quality for a courtier is in fact what Castiglione defines as "sprezzatura", or the ease with which he must hide the art that makes each of his acts spontaneous and natural in the "theater" of the court. Rare edition. Good copy. Gray-brown halo at the upper corner of the last pages, starting from about CLII (numbered by hand in brown ink 165). Slight halo a few pages at the lower margin at the beginning of the volume, which resumes more evidently towards the end. Old handwritten study notes in the margin and underlining in brown ink. Various handwritten notes on the second blank leaf (initial unnumbered leaf VIII).