In Latin., Script: Written in italic script by Piero Cennini (b. 1444)., Fine border and initials by Mariano del Buono. 3/4 white-vine border, f. 2r, infilled green, pink, and blue, against a blue ground, with white dots; putti and birds; at the periphery, flowers, gold dots, and hair-spray, especially profuse in lower margin; supported by a trellis, gold, which expands at regular intervals to form roundels. In upper margin, a blossom with fruits, in lower margin, in separate roundels, a hound chasing a stag, against deep landscape backgrounds. Between roundels with animals, the arms of Joannes Vitez, bishop of Gran, in a complex braided roundel, infilled green and blue with white and yellow filigree, and supported by four putti, two of which play musical instruments. One historiated initial, f. 1r, gold, Cicero reading a book, against a blue ground with stylized clouds, all against a green ground with yellow filigree. Thirty-two 7-, 6-, 5-, and 3-line initials, gold, with white-vine infilled green, pink, and blue, with white dots, against blue ground, with vines extending into margin, gold dots and hair-spray. Twelve 4- and 3-line initials, following f. 178, gold, against pink and blue or pink and green grounds, with white and/or yellow filigree. Following initials, one line of square capitals in brown or alternating red and brown. 1-line square capitals in text., The entire codex, including the binding, is in an excellent state of preservation., and Binding: Fifteenth century. Resewn on seven tawed, slit straps laid in channels and nailed into wooden boards. The spine is square, the edges gilt. Covered in ruby-red goatskin, blind-tooled with concentric panels. The rectangular central panel is reduced to a square with rope interlace and the central ornament is a four-pointed star protruding from a quatrefoil within a circle. Five foliate brass catches on the lower board. Stubs of green fabric clasp straps on the upper board. Rebacked; headbands and a gold-tooled spine added. Two catches and all clasps wanting.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Cicero, Marcus Tullius.
Subject (Topic):
Classical literature, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Philosophy
