Thesaurus linguae Latinae - 1740

ROBERTI STEPHANI (ESTIENNE Robert): Thesaurus linguae Latinae in IV. Tomos divisus, Typis & Impensis E. & J.R. Thurnisiorum, Basileae, 1740-1743, Rare 1740 edition of the "greatest monument of Latin science" by Robert Estienne, In-folio in 4 volumes bound in full vellum, title page of Volume I decorated with a woodcut by Redinger with a small portrait of Estienne, solid bindings in spite of some wear and tear (the spine of volume 4 is missing), good condition of the paper, surprisingly reused vellum binding on which is a handwritten text with colored lettering (12th-14th). One of the leading printers of his time, Robert Estienne was asked to compile a dictionary of the best Latin authors or to make one himself; in 1531 he published the Thesaurus linguae latinae, which is considered by many scholars to be the foundation of modern Latin lexicography. Moreover, this dictionary made Estienne the "father of French lexicography."