Libro de la Caza del Principe Don Juan Manuel

Libro de la Caza del Principe Don Juan Manuel

Don Juan Manuel (1282–1348) was one of the most sophisticated and accomplished writers of the 14th century as well as being a member of the uppermost crust of Spanish society: the son of Manuel of Castile (1234–83) and Beatrice of Savoy (1250–1292), he was also the nephew of King Alfonso X of Castile “the Wise” (1221–84). Thanks to the extensive library possessed by his royal uncle, Don Juan Manuel enjoyed a superb education during his upbringing. One of his works is the Libro de la Caza or Hunting Book, written between 1325 and 1326 and loosely modelled on the now-lost Libro del cazar by King Alfonso X himself as well as the De arte venandi cum avibus, which was written by Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II (1194–1250). Although no complete manuscripts of the work have survived, this modern interpretation of it presents the surviving, sometimes fragmentary text in the full splendor of late Gothic and Renaissance art.

A Modern Medieval Hunting Book

The work was rediscovered in the 19th century and was first mentioned by Gutiérrez de la Vega in the second volume of his work on hunting books in 1877. The artist Angel Roncero has sampled miniatures and marginal figures from other hunting books including De arte venandi cum avibus but modelled the overall design of the work on the magnificent Book of Hours of Mary of Burgundy. Thus, this modern printed book has the appearance of a fine late Gothic manuscript with some imagery from the Renaissance and features over 200 miniatures, including 14 full-page miniatures as well as numerous decorative borders, marginalia, and bas-de-page miniatures.