Tzemach Tzaddik, wisdom and ethics, by R. Yehuda Aryeh (Leon) de Modena. [Venice: Daniel Zanetti, 1600]. First edition.
The composition deals with the refinement of character traits (based on teachings of Jewish and gentile sages), with a chapter dedicated to each trait. Each chapter begins with a woodcut illustration, related to the chapter's topic. This book is one of the few early Hebrew books printed with illustrations. The book was printed anonymously, though the name of the author is alluded to at the beginning of the preface: "Renowned in Yehuda… the lion (Aryeh) roared", and with an acronym in the colophon at the end of the book. These are two incomplete copies of two variants of the same edition, with differences in the illustrations: on p. 13b, each copy features a different illustration. On p. 15b, the illustration was printed upside-down in one copy.
Copy 1: 2-11, 13-40 leaves (originally 40 leaves. Lacking title page and leaf 12. Leaf 2 was bound back-to-front). 13.5 cm. Fair condition. Stains, tears and wear, affecting text in several places. Paper repairs to several leaves. New binding. Copy 2: 2-7, 9-32, 34-40 leaves (originally 40 leaves. Lacking title page, leaves 8 and 33. Leaf 40 is torn and half-missing, repaired with paper; with handwritten replacement of missing text. Title page and most of the missing pages were replaced with photocopies). 14 cm. Fair condition. Stains, tears and wear, affecting text in several places. Dampstains. Worming. New binding.