Divine Comedy - Banco Rari 215

Dante Alighieri (ca. 1265–1321) created his magnum opus between 1308 and 1320
A portrait drawing at the beginning of the manuscript shows the influential writer
The humanist, poet and translator Bartolomeo della Fonte (1446–1513) added numerous glosses to the codex

Divine Comedy - Banco Rari 215

MS Banco Rari 215 Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale (Florence, Italy)

Description

Divine Comedy - Banco Rari 215

This extraordinary copy of the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri (ca. 1265–1321) features not only a full-page drawing showing the influential writer in profile, but also numerous glosses by Bartolomeo della Fonte (1446–1513). The Italian humanist, poet and translator was probably once in possession of the manuscript and immortalized himself here with annotations on the content and text variants as well as short summaries of the individual cantos, which make the codex unique. These traces of use testify to the great appreciation of this cornerstone of Italian literature and language, which Dante created between 1308 and 1320. In 100 cantos, the magnum opus describes the spiritual and philosophical journey of the first-person narrator through hell, purgatory and paradise and offers us an artistic insight into the medieval Christian worldview. The calligraphically consummate manuscript is also artfully decorated. Three full-page washed pen and ink drawings accompany the text, which is visually structured by beautiful white vine initials.

Codicology

Alternative Titles: Dante Alighieri - Göttliche Komödie: Banco Rari 215
Il Dante Fiorentino
Type: Manuscript on parchment
Size / Format: 468 Pages / 25.1 × 15.4 cm
Origin: Italy
Date: Ca. 1410–1415
Epochs: Late Middle Ages Onwards
Style: Renaissance
Genre: Literature / Poetry
Language: Latin
Script: Humanistic
Illustrations: 1 portrait of Dante, 3 full-page miniatures, 3 large white vine initials, dozens of smaller initials
Content: Dante's Divine Comedy with glosses by Bartolomeo della Fonte
Artist / School: Luigi di ser Michele Guidi (scribe)
Previous Owners: Bartolomeo della Fonte
Francesco Sassetti
Lorenzo Bardi
Galeazzo Sassetti
Canon Michele Dati

Available facsimile editions:

Facsimile Editions

#1 Il Dante Fiorentino

Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana - Treccani – Rome, 2024

Publisher: Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana - Treccani – Rome, 2024

Commentary: 1 volume
Language: Italian

Facsimile Copy Available!

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Divine Comedy - Banco Rari 215