Aldus Manutius died in Venice in 1515 after transforming European printing. His press had produced Greek and Latin classics, humanist texts and elegant portable books. The Aldine italic type and octavo format helped create a new relationship between readers, texts and private study.

Aldus changed the material conditions of poetry by making classical and vernacular books more portable and desirable. His editions fed humanist imitation, school learning and the spread of forms such as epigram, ode and pastoral.