Tutte le rime - Vittoria Colonna

Believed to be UC Library’s oldest book authored by a woman, Tutte le Rime written by Vittoria Colonna is a collection of poems published in Italy in 1558. Vittoria was a fascinating Renaissance woman who was supremely wealthy and well-connected. Widowed early, she devoted herself to writing lost-love sonnets and spiritual poetry and was the first woman in Italy to have a book of her poems appear in print in 1538.

As a contemporary and close friend of Michelangelo, she is often written about only in terms of her friendship with him. However, she was much more than this, cited as having a genius intellect and probably influencing Michelangelo’s work immensely. She regularly conversed and corresponded with many of the day’s fine literary, political and spiritual minds and by all accounts was afforded a degree of intellectual respect rarely given Renaissance women.

Anton Francesco Doni (1513-1574), was once the possible owner of this book. Inscribed in the front are the words: Di Anton Franc. Marmi.

Doni was an Italian writer, editor and translator who was a contemporary of Vittoria Colonna.