Manuscript on parchment of Biondo Flavio, Italia Illustrata with the dedicatory preface to Pope Nicolas V (d. 1455).
Description:
In Latin., Script: Written in fine humanistic bookhand, below top line, by a single scribe who also wrote the running titles (epigraphic majuscules) and marginalia, in red., Elaborately illuminated title page with historiated initial, 10-line, mauve with silver filigree against gold ground, edged in black, with a portrait of the author, seated and holding a book, against a hilly landscape and blue sky. Partial border of white vine-stem ornament against a predominantly gold ground with blue, green, and red patches with white and pale yellow dots in inner and upper margins, terminating in dense penwork scrolls with gold dots. In outer and lower margin, border of stylized flowers and foliage in red, purple, green, and blue, surrounded by dense penwork scrolls punctuated by gold dots. In center of lower margin, wreathed medallion with unidentified arms, supported by two purple winged putti outlined in blue and wearing red necklaces. 14 illuminated initials, 9- to 6-line, gold, on blue, green, and red ground with white vine-stem ornament, sometimes extending into the margins. Headings, running titles, and marginalia in red., and Binding: Eighteenth century, England. Red goatskin gold-tooled, with the crest of Charles Chauncy on the sides. Gilt edges. Rebacked. The fine quality of the endleaves and leather, and the tool used on the edges of the boards and the turn-ins are similar to those in Marston MS 102 and Beinecke MS 497, both probably bound by Richard Wier, active in London and France in the 1770s; d. 1792).
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut, New Haven., and Italy
Subject (Name):
Biondo Flavio, 1392-1463.
Subject (Topic):
Geography, Medieval, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Description and travel
Manuscript on paper of Flavius Blondus (Flavio Biondo, 1396-1463), Roma instaurata
Description:
In Latin., Script: Copied by a single hand writing a rapid Humanistica Semitextualis Libraria. The first line of the Prologue and the first word or second letter of the three Books are written in Capitalis., Rather carelessly written headings in purplish red ink, added posteriously at the beginning of the Prologue and of each Book, not corresponding to the instructions for the rubricator written in the margins by the scribe (no such instruction is visible on f. 3r). White vinestem initial (5 lines) and border in the same style in the upper and inner margins at the head of the Prologue (f. 3r). The Books open with 2-3-line plain initials (Capitalis) in blue; a similar 2-line initial was planned (and executed) at the beginning of what would be chapter 3 (“Ambitum”, f. 4v), but this practice was afterwards abandoned. Guide letters for the initials in the margin., and Binding: ca. 1500, Italy. Brown goatskin over wooden boards, both covers blind-tooled with frame and centre-piece, the latter in the shape of a cross composed of small rhomboid stamps showing some remnants of gold. Remnants of one clasp attached to the front cover, with a brass catch fixed with three nails to the rear cover.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut, New Haven., and Rome.
Subject (Name):
Biondo Flavio, 1392-1463.
Subject (Topic):
Latin literature, Medieval and modern and Manuscripts, Medieval
