Manuscript on parchment of Valerius Maximus, Dictorum factorum memorabilium ad tiberium cesarem
Description:
In Latin., Script: Written by a single scribe in a precise round gothic bookhand., Illuminated by Cristoforo Cortese, ca. 1420. Fine historiated initial (12-line) on f. 1r, the author seated at a lectern, pink, purple, green, red, and blue foliage on a gold ground, edged in black, with delicate white highlights; an exuberant vine and foliage border in three margins; the upper margin with a bar, gold and blue, with white highlights. Eight illuminated initials (9- or 8-line) on ff. 14v, 29v, 45r, 61r, 79r, 98v, 115r, 132r in the same style, borders in outer margin. Fine penwork initials throughout, blue with red penwork or vice versa (7- to 4-line). Several lines following initials written in ornate majuscules widely spaced on every other line, filled in with sepia penwork (some left unfinished, especially near end of manuscript). 2-line initials, blue with red or red with blue penwork, less ornate than above. Rubrics missing for major text divisions; paragraph marks in red or blue., Borders cut out on ff. 1r, 45r, and 79r, replaced with parchment, with initials and borders partially restored., and Binding: 18th-19th centuries. Mottled calf case, gold-tooled.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut, New Haven., and Rome
Subject (Name):
Valerius Maximus.
Subject (Topic):
Didactic literature, Latin, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, and History
Manuscript on parchment of Valerius Maximus, Factorum et dictorum memorabilium ad Tiberium cesarem
Description:
In Latin., Script: Written by a single scribe in fere-humanistic script. Marginal and interlinear notes in several contemporary and later hands., On f. 3r, a good historiated initial, 7-line: the author in armor, holding his book; thick, curling foliage forms, pink, orange, blue, and green, on an irregular gold ground, edged in black. Nine illuminated initials (ff. 16r, 29v, 43r, 57r, 72r, 85v, 98r, 111v, and 126r) to open Books 2-10, composed of foliage, as above, and striated color strips, in vibrant blue, orange, crimson, mauve, green, and occasionally yellow, highlighted in white and variations of the same basic hues. 4-, 2-line initials, blue with red penwork or vice versa. Book numbers at top of page, red and blue; rubrics throughout. Remains of guides for rubricator., and Binding: 15th-16th centuries. Resewn on four tawed, slit straps laced through the edge of wooden boards and nailed in channels which are filled in with plaster. There is a piece of leather at the exit from one tunnel and what may be the tips of nails just inside the channel so earlier supports may have been of leather, nailed twice. The endbands, sewn on twisted leather cores laid in grooves, were tied down through a leather spine lining, the embroidery with three beads. The edges are gilt with a design scratched on them, the spine square. Covered in dark brown goatskin with corner tongues, blind-tooled with a star in a circle with wide rope interlace panels above and below, inside concentric outer borders. Small diamonds and dots on the spine. Four brass catches on the lower board and stubs of velvet straps nailed to the upper. One joint cracked and repaired and one endband added.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut, New Haven., and Rome
Subject (Name):
Valerius Maximus.
Subject (Topic):
Didactic literature, Latin, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, and History
