Rare is the scholar who genuinely merits a volume in his honor, but as the first article in this volume on his scholarship amply illustrates, Robert Black is unquestionably such a scholar, so central and massive have been his publications in so many different aspects of Renaissance studies, from Italian humanism, the history of education, and the history of the classical tradition to issues in historiography, Machiavelli studies, and the history of Arezzo. The editors of the volume have long been indebted to and admirers of Black’s scholarship. It has been very satisfying to see so many excellent fellow scholars seize the opportunity to join us in honoring him on the occasion of his seventy-fifth birthday. We are grateful for their earnest dedication—and good humor—in working with us on the volume. Our particular thanks go to Jane Black for her invaluable advice and assistance as well as for her essay. Finally, we thank Brill Academic Publishers for agreeing to publish the volume and our Brill editors Ivo Romein and Theo Joppe for so expertly facilitating the whole process from submission to publication.
Jonathan Davies and John Monfasani