Illuminated Manuscripts

This manuscript survives as important testimony to the famous library of la Certosa di Galluzzo in Florence, a foundation known to have had an outstanding collection of books, all of which were dispersed by 1866.  It contains fine illumination and unusually rich decoration by two talented Florentine artists—Mariano del Buono and Bartolomeo di Boniforte da Vimercate—both documented as working for the Certosa in the last third of the fifteenth century but by whom no work for the Certosa has previously been identified with certainty.   One of its most interesting features is its internal dating, which permits a reconstruction of the amount of time it took the decorator to produce the manuscript.

237 folios, on parchment, complete, mostly in quires of 10, 25 quires in all (i6, xxv1), written in black ink, in a gothic liturgical bookhand, on 22 lines (justfication 130 x 215 mm), in a single column, some marginal notes, light plummet ruling, some catchwords (many erased), with stave lines in red, staves alternating with text, music on a 4-line red stave with square notation, rubrics in red, numerous strapwork initials throughout text, numerous versals, blue with red penwork, red with purple penwork, 2-line initials in blue with red penwork, in red with green, purple and/or blue penwork with floral, foliate and geometrical designs, extending into the margin, 3-line initials in red with elaborate and finely executed blue, red and green penwork extending well into the margin composed of floral, foliate and geometrical patterns, numerous 5-line initials with similar decoration, 7 PAINTED  DECORATED INITIALS (ff. 48, 60, 75, 89v, 103v, 168v, 180) with floral in-fill (blue, pink, red, gold and green floral compositions) on red or blue grounds, initials composed of swirling blue, green and pink acanthus leaves, decoration of acanthus leaves extending into the margin with flowers (pink and blue) and gold besants on hairline stems, 4 HISTORIATED  INITIALS (ff 1, 21, 32v), scenes inscribed in painted initials composed of blue, green and pink acanthus leaves on highly burnished gold grounds with decorated extensions in the margins of pink, blue, green and red acanthus leaves, flowers and gold besants on hairline stems, framing the opening text on fol. 1  on three sides and extending into the left margin in all other cases, ONE HISTORIATED ROUNDEL placed at the top of decorated left border( f. 26v), in EXCELLENT AND FRESH CONDITION. Manuscript dated on f. 9, “1479 die 7 julii” and again f.11v, “1479 – 3 julii”; certain filigranes extending into margins contain added inscribed monograms (often crowned) or names such as IHS for “Iesus” (ff. 9, 172, 205), XPS for “Cbristus” (ff. 100, 170), M for “Maria” (ff. 11v, 143v, 153v, 201), V for “Virgo”( f. 179) , L for “Laurentius” (f. 143v), “Laurentius” (ff 12v, 68), “Ave Maria” (ff. 18v, 231), “Rex opus” (f. 49v) and “Iesus/Maria” (ff. 11o, 178). Nineteenth-century calf binding, blind-stamped, spine in compartments, sewn on 6 thongs, front cover detached, title-piece gilt, gilt edges: “Psalterium ordinis cartusiensis, 1479,” marbled pastedowns and flyleaves. Dimensions 235 x 334 mm.

Provenance

1. Made for, and probably in, La Certosa di Galluzzo in Florence. The Florentine origin is confirmed by the close resemblance to the miniatures attributed to Mariano del Buono di Jacopo (1433-1504) active in Florence, as well as the explicit written references to Lawrence (Crowned monogram “L” and “Laurentius” spelled out) and in the iconography (two historiated initials depicting St-Lawrence: ff. 26v and 32v). Mariano del Buono is recorded in the accounts of the Certosa, as is the talented calligrapher, Bartolomeo di Boniforte da Vimercate. A medallion held by two angels at the bottom of folio 1 was left incomplete of the usual arms or iconography.  However, its Carthusian origin is confirmed by the word “Cartusiens” that encircles the above-mentioned medallion as well as the presence of certain typically Carthusian saints such as Hugo (mentioned twice), Anthony and John the Baptist. The Carthusians patron saint Bruno is not present, but his absence is easily explained since he was only sanctified in 1623.The emphasis on the pen decoration and also in the calendar on “Laurentius” surely further confirms that the manuscript was made for the Certosa di Galluzzo, which was dedicated to St. Lawrence. C. Chiarelli, in her fundamental article “II fondo librario della Certosa di Firenze,” states that the documents of the Certosa for the last thirty years of the fifteenth century mention illuminators such as “Francesco d’Antonio, Mariano del Buono, Bartolomeo di Boniforte da Vimercate, Giovanfrancesco di Mariotto ed altri meno noti,” adding that none of their work for the Certosa has yet been identified (pp. 199-200). In her above-cited article, Chiarelli promises a complete book-length study on the topic, based on her thesis and provisionally entitled: “Le attività artistiche e il patrimonio librario della Certosa di Firenze.” The manuscripts of the Certosa were completely dispersed in 1866 at the moment of the final suppression of the monastery under Napoleon, but evidently many of them were also dispersed earlier, even during the time of the humanists. Our manuscript constitutes an important and beautiful witness of what was surely a magnificent collection. According to Chiarelli: “La riconstruzione della biblioteca della Certosa di Firenze costituisce un problema di non facile soluzione e tuttora in corso di studio, dal momento che abbiamo un solo inventanio di libni precedente alla soppressione e risalente at 1600…” (p. 189). In 1866, the library consisted of 1,782 volumes.  Few of the dispersed books have been identified today.

2. Private Collection, France.

Text

ff. 1-6,Calendar, in Latin, copied in red and black ink, many feasts left blank, with saints Anthony (in red, Jan.17), Agatha, in red (Feb. 5), Luce, in red (Oct. 18), Ursula (in red, Oct. 21), Ugo (April 1, Nov. 17), Lawrence (Aug. 10); On November 8, Festum reliquarum, November 9, Anniversarum totius ordis…;

ff 7-164, “Incipit psalterium secundum ordinem fratrum cartusiensium. Psalmus David primus…” from Palm 1 to 150, followed by the Canticles (f. 158r);

ff. 164v-179v, Litanies, followed by Canticles for Sundays (f. 168v)

f. 180-235, Hymnal, and supplementary antiphons (f. 205r);

ff. 236v-237v, Index to the Ferial Psalter (later hand, probably of the seventeenth century)…

Illustration

This manuscript boasts extremely elegant decorated initials, a true feast for the eyes, be it pen or paint. The historiated initials and roundels are attributed by Albinia de la Mare to Mariano del Buono and more precisely to the works linked to this artist’s second period (See in particular Garzelli, Pls. 709-715; 739 and 740). The pen decoration is quite magnificent and surely by a different hand.  According to Albinia de la Mare, this is mostly likely Bartolomeo di Boniforte da Vimercate, who is described as Bartolomeo di Boniforte “da Milano” and is documented as working for SS. Annunziata between 1474-1476, including executing 110 “lettere di penna fiorite” for a Gradual in 1474 (see Levi d’Ancona, Miniatura, pp. 37-39). In the library accounts of the Badia of Fiesole of 1461-1465,Bartolomeo is described as “miniatore di pena” (Florence, Spedale degli Innocenti, Archivio 141, 435-482). The decorated initials, occurring throughout the volume, are full of great charm and testify to the extremely high quality of Bartolomeo di Boniforte da Vimercate’s ornamental design.

The subjects of the illumination are as follow:

f. 7, 9-line historiated initial B (Beatus vir), 90 x 90 mm., depicting Christ as Man of Sorrows set against a background of clouds, in the lower border: two angels garbed in dark red with purple wings, arms crossed on their chest, on either side of a blue, green and burnished gold medallion that reads “cartusiensis”; stemming from the historiated initial and extending into the left, lower and top margins are decorative red, pink, green and blue acanthus leaves with pink and blue flowers and gold besants on hairline stems;

f. 21, historiated initial D (Domine in virtute), 60 x 73 mm., depicting the Nativity with border decoration of pink, blue, red and green acanthus leaves, pink and blue flowers, gold besants on hairline stems springing into the left and lower margins;

f. 26v, small historiated roundel depicting Saint Lawrence kneeling in prayer before God; roundel placed at the top of border decoration stemming from decorated particolored initial D (red and blue) with infill of gold foliate patterns on a red ink ground, placed on a purple ink ground with similar gold foliate patterns; border decoration extending into the left margin composed of mixed ornaments (paint and inks) placed in a vertical composition of candelabra, flowers, acanthus leaves, foliate motifs, gold besants and hairline stems, the roundel 30 mm. diameter;

f. 32v, 5-line historiated initial E (Exultate iusti), 50 x 60 mm., depicting Saint Lawrence holding his symbol and the grill, instrument of his martyrdom; border decoration of acanthus leaves, gold besants on hairline stems and pink flowers springing from a pink, red and green painted initial set on a burnished gold ground;

f. 119, 5-line historiated initial D (Dixit domino meo), 50 x 63 mm., depicting God in Majesty with seraphim angels;border decoration of acanthus leaves, gold besants on hairline stems and flowers springing from a pink, red and green painted initial set on a burnished gold ground.

The manuscript is exactly dated in three of the penwork initials.  The purple penwork in the small red initial on f. 9r includes the date “[1]479, Die 7 Julii”; the green penwork on f. 11v is dated “1479 3 Julii”; and the penwork on f. 41v terminates with an inscription in red, “M^o.ccc ^olxviiii^o, die sancta xpistine. Finis. +dic ave maria” [24 July].  This shows, among other things, that the first full gathering (ff. 7-16) was probably decorated in open bifolia, beginning from the top left in the center of the quire on 3 July 1479, reaching the third bifolium 4 days later.  Folio 41v is the top left initial on the inner bifolium of quire 5.  Assuming the decorator continued working by bifolia from the center outwards, this took him 17 days to ornament 24 leaves, not a very onerous task.  At that rate, the whole book would have taken about 160 days.  It is unusual to find such details concerning production.

Literature

Chiarelli, Catherina. “II fondo librario della Certosa di Firenze,” in La Miniatura Italiana Wa Gotico Rinascimento, 2 vols., Atti del II Congresso di Storia della Miniatura Italiana, Cortona 24-26settembre 1982, ed. Emanuela Sesti, Florence, Leo S. Olschki, 1985,I, pp. 189-200;

Garzelli, A. and A. C. de Ia Mare.  Miniatura fiorentina del rinascitnento 144o-1525 Un primo censimento, 2 vols, Florence, 1985;