Petrarca: Trionfi - Vatican Codex

Petrarca: Trionfi - Vatican Codex

Francesco Petrarca (1304–74) was an Italian poet and historian. He is considered to be a founder of Renaissance humanism and, along with Dante Alighieri and Boccaccio, one of the most important representatives of early Italian literature. The term Petrarchism comes from his names, which designated a widespread school of thought within European love poetry up to the 17th century. His works have influenced world literature over the centuries. The triumphs celebrated by victorious Ancient Roman generals continued to be imitated during the Middle Ages, especially in Italy. Petrarch’s Triumphs, whose Italian name reads Trionfi, are a famous example of the poetry of Petrarch.

The Work of a Future Furniture Maker

This fine specimen of Italian Renaissance book art that is stored today in the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana was created in 1442 by the painter Apollonio di Giovanni di Tomaso (1414 – 1465). In 1446, he would go on to establish workshop in Florence with the carpenter Marco del Buono Giamberti (1402–1489) specializing in the production of cassoni – wedding chests – and other highly decorated furniture. Their workshop is also famous for creating an illuminated golden tarot deck once owned by the d’Este family, which is considered to be a masterpiece. Apollonio would execute another fine manuscript of Virgil's Bucolics, Georgics, and Aeneid ca. 1450, which is also worthy of note.

An Allegorical Triumph

The Trionfi, one of the most popular poems worldwide, are a tale of the triumph of the good and the beautiful. Six triumphs that were sung about include, the triumph of love, of chastity, of fame, of time, the triumph of death over time, and the triumph of eternity. The central theme of the work would be familiar to a medieval audience: the journey of man from a state of sin to redemption. As such, it can be compared with allegorical works such as the Roman de la Rose or the Divina Commedia, with which it shares a similar voyage structure. The work has been praised for its lyrical achievements and the introspective look into the poet’s feelings that it offers to the reader.