Petrarca: Trionfi - Rome Codex

Petrarca: Trionfi

Known as the Roman Trionfi Codex, this manuscript is stored in the Biblioteca dell'Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei e Corsiniana in Rome. Originating from Florence during the second half of the 15th century, it both mirrors the spirit of humanism in the Italian Renaissance and offers an inside glimpse into the exuberant art of Italian illumination at that time.Francesco d’Antonio del Chierico (1433–1484), one of the greatest Florentine miniaturists of the 15th century, is responsible for this book decoration.

A Miniaturist of Princes and Monarchs

Del Chierico was employed by the Medici and Federico de Montefeltro inter alia, he also worked for famous patrons outside of Italy. He produced the decoration, consisting of six miniatures, wonderful frames, and decorative initials, probably with the help of Zanobi Strozzi. Bright flowers and exuberant ornamentation in true Renaissance style adorn the 120 pages of the manuscript, which are additionally furnished with precious gold, and thus presenting itself as a true luxury manuscript.

The Triumph Good and Beauty

The six full-page primary miniatures concerning the triumphs of time, love, chastity, glory, eternity, and over death illustrate the Italian text of the Trionfi by Francesco Petrarca (1304–1374). This work by the great poet and humanist of the early Renaissance stands firmly in the tradition of the time and was also popular and widely disseminated in the following centuries. The allegorical poem with six chapters concerning the triumph of good and beauty originated from the years 1350–74. Alongside generally moralizing sections, strongly autobiographical references are found in this text.

Doubly Significant

The manuscript at hand thus simultaneously combines two highpoints on its pages: a famous literary work by one of the most significant representatives of 14th century Italian literature and a testimonial to the grandiose art of a significant 15th century Florentine miniaturist!