The Italian Cultural Institute (IIC) in Toronto organised an exhibition to celebrate the 500th anniversary of ‘Orlando Furioso’, the famous epic by Ludovico Ariosto which is among the most influential literary pieces in the world. Published for the first time in 1516, the length of the epic poem immediately turned it into a great editorial success in Europe. ‘Orlando Furioso’ was published in more than 30 editions before being published by Gabriele Giolito de’ Ferrari in 1542, the edition that was purchased by the Thomas Fisher Library in 2015.
The initiative was organised by the IIC for the Week of the Italian Language in the World, in conjunction with librarians David Fernandez and Miguel Torrens, who curated the exhibition of rare books. Mr Torrens guided visitors through several precious editions dating back to the Italian Renaissance which are conserved at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library.
