Manuscript on parchment and paper, written in two parts. Part I (parchment, written ca. 1490): 1) John of Rupescissa, De consideratione quinte essentie. 2) Descriptions of various herbs. Part II (paper, added ca. 1800): 3) Alchemy. 4) Recipes for making Prussian Blue, in Italian
Description:
In Latin and Italian., Script: Part I (ff. 1-40): Written by one hand in a neat, minute humanistic cursive. Part II (ff. 41-52): In an Italian hand., Part I: Headings in red throughout, that on f. 1r overwritten in an intense red ink covering earlier writing in pale red ink, the intense ink then used for the remainder of the headings in this portion of the codex, and the overwriting probably by the original scribe. Plain, small, roman capitals at beginnings of sections of the text in blue or green; a large initial "D" and a full border no f. 1r, as well as a smaller initial "L" at the beginning of the second book of text, foot of f. 25r, all finely illuminated in gold and colors in the "white-vine" style, the lower part of the border on f. 1r with a coat of arms consisting of a shield azure, a bear rampant or. Part II: Undecorated., and Binding: Late eighteenth century, probably French. Speckled calf, the sides undecorated, the repaired back in compartments with gilt tooling, the original title-stamping defective, speckled edges; restored by Carolyn Horton, November 1955.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Topic):
Alchemy, Formulas, recipes, etc, Herbs, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Prussian blue
Augurelli, Giovanni Aurelio, approximately 1456-1524?
Published / Created:
28 January 1495.
Call Number:
Mellon MS 22
Image Count:
80
Resource Type:
unspecified
Abstract:
Manuscript (holograph?) on parchment of nineteen poems, dedicated to Niccolo Franco, Bishop of Treviso (d. 1499), and other members of the literary circle in Treviso with whom Giovanni Aurelio Augurello (ca. 1440-1524) was actively connected as a famous private teacher and distinguished poet from 1491 until his death. Only the seventeenth poem of MS 22 is directly related to alchemy, but it is above all a literary exercise
Description:
In Latin and Greek., Script: Written by a single scribe in a good humanistic cursive., Large capital letters, mostly plain, at the beginning (written in the left margins) and dedication of each poem in pale red. On f. 1v (blank on the recto) is a drawing in delicate wash of a tree, lower left, against the base of which leans a small book in a red cover; extending upward from the treetop to the sun, at extreme top right, is the inscription in red capitals: "VTCVNQ[VE] TIBI." On f. 2r, opposite the dedicatory drawing just described, there is further decoration in the same delicate wash colors: a leaf in the margin beside the dedication to Niccolo Franco, Bishop of Treviso; light tracery ornament surrounding the capital "F" in the left margin at the beginning of the first poem; and Franco's arms, surmounted by the Bishop's mitre and surrounded by green twigs tied with red ribbons, in the lower margin. At the end of the manuscript, beneath the colophon, there is a further drawing and inscription in green wash, referable to the final poem: a small Roman sarcophagus with a little book in red binding lying atop it, and the inscription "POSTERITATI SACRUM" below., and Binding: Apparently original. Blind-stamped red goatskin (now darkened), repaired, sides paneled with blind fillets, two rows of differing knotwork tools, four clasps and catches now lacking, two asterisk-headed brass nails for each clasp remaining on upper cover, plain edges, modern leather label on backstrip with three faintly raised original bands.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut, New Haven., and Treviso (Italy)
Subject (Name):
Augurelli, Giovanni Aurelio, approximately 1456-1524?
Subject (Topic):
Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Latin poetry, Medieval and modern, and Manuscripts, Medieval
