Book/Printed Material Bible of Borso d'Este. Biblia latina

Title

• Bible of Borso d'Este.

Other Title

• Biblia latina

Summary

• The magnificent Bible of Borso d'Este represents the zenith of Ferrarese miniature painting and one of the highpoints of Italian Renaissance manuscript illumination. It was commissioned by Borso d'Este (1413--71), the first duke of Ferrara, who intended it as a demonstration of the splendor of the House of Este, which at the time was competing with Florence and the court of the Medici for international status. The manuscript was completed between 1455 and 1461, the same time that Johann Gutenberg was producing the first printed Bible from moveable type. The Bible consists of two folio volumes of more than 1,000 individual illuminations. The leaves are all richly illuminated, with painted vignettes that portray scenes from the Bible, historical events, the Estense coat of arms, and views of nature. The beginning of each of the books of the Bible is decorated with an elaborate architectural border and richly colored designs. The illuminations are by a team of artists led by Taddeo Crivelli and Franco dei Russi that also included Girolamo da Cremona, Marco dell'Avogadro, and Giorgio d'Alemagna. The text was written in a fine Renaissance hand by the Bolognese scribe Pietro Paolo Marone. In 1598, following the transfer of Ferrara to papal control, the Estense family abandoned Ferrara for its new seat of ducal power in Modena, taking with them their paintings, sculptures, and books. The Bible remained in Modena until 1859, when the city became part of the new Kingdom of Italy. Francesco V d'Austria-Este fled to Vienna, taking with him many family possessions, including the Bible. In 1923, the industrialist Giovanni Treccani degli Alfieri acquired the Bible from a Parisian antiquarian bookseller. As a sign of respect for the Republic of Italy, he returned the Bible to the Biblioteca Estense in Modena. In the second half of the 18th century a new binding was made. The Bible was crudely trimmed and part of its decoration was lost from the upper and outer margins. The binding was again replaced in 1961.

Names

• Borso d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, Modena, and Reggio, 1413-1471 Patron.
• Crivelli, Taddeo, flourished 1451-1476 Illuminator.
• Giorgio d'Alemagna, flourished 1441-1479 Illuminator.
• Girolamo da Cremona, flourished 1467-1483 Illuminator.
• Marco dell'Avogadro Illuminator.
• Russi, Franco dei, flourished 1453-1482 Illuminator.

Created / Published

• [place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], [1455 to 1461]

Headings

• -  Italy
• -  1455 to 1461
• -  Bible
• -  Illuminations
• -  Miniatures (Illuminations)

Notes

• -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
• -  "Also called: Bibbia di Borso d'Este. Shelfmark: Lat. 422-423 = V.G.12-13"--Note extracted from World Digital Library.
• -  Original resource extent: 2 volumes (311 sheets and 293 sheets) ; 26.5 x 37.5 centimeters.
• -  Original resource at: Estense Library, Modena.
• -  Content in Latin.
• -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

• 1 online resource.

Source Collection

• Illuminated Manuscripts from Europe

Digital Id

• https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.wdl/wdl.9910

Library of Congress Control Number

• 2021667830

Online Format

• compressed data
• pdf
• image

LCCN Permalink

• https://lccn.loc.gov/2021667830

Additional Metadata Formats

• MARCXML Record
• MODS Record
• Dublin Core Record

IIIF Presentation Manifest

• Manifest (JSON/LD)