Quatriregio (Four Realms)

Art Historical Context

**Quatriregio ( Realms)**, printed on July 26, 1508, is a rare Renaissance edition of Federico Frezzi's allegorical, brought to life by the Florentine printer Ser Piero Pac da Pescia. Fre, a 15th-century Italian bishop poet, crafted this visionary work around 1417, imagining a dreamlike journey through four symbolic realms—likely evoking themes of love,, wealth, and mortality. This incunabula-style book, acquired by The Metropolitan Museum of Art via the Rogers Fund in 1920, exemplifies the transition from manuscript to printed literature in early 16th-century Italy. The volume's woodcut illustrations burst with classical mythology, featuring lively depictions of centaurs, nymphs, the huntress Diana, and playful satyrs. These bold, black-and-white images, carved into wood blocks and printed alongside the text, were a hallmark of Renaissance bookmaking. Woodcuts allowed for affordable, mass-produced artistry, blending Gothic narrative traditions with emerging humanist interests in antiquity, making complex allegories accessible to a wider audience. At 11⅛ × 8⅜ inches, this compact treasure from the Drawings and Prints department highlights printing's role in democratizing knowledge and visual culture during the High Renaissance. Visitors will appreciate its whimsical yet profound fusion of poetry, myth, and craftsmanship—a window into how Italians revived ancient lore amid the era's intellectual fervor.

About the Artist

Federico Frezzi|Ser Piero Pacini da Pescia (Italian|Italian) · 1346 | –1416 |

ca. 1346–1416|Italian, active Florence ca. 1495-1514