Manuscript on parchment of Leonardo Bruni, Commentaria rerum graecarum (De principatu Graeciae), preceded by Bruni's letter to Angelo Acciaiuolo.
Description:
Binding: Twentieth century, Italy. Rigid vellum case with a green, gold-tooled label on spine: "L. Bruni De principatu graeciae. Sec. XV"., Purchased from Hoepli of Milan in 1955 by L. C. Witten who sold it in the same year to Thomas E. Marston., Script: Written in round humanistic bookhand by two scribes who use somewhat different physical formats. Scribe I) ff. 1r-16r, written above top line, with initials for paragraphs set apart from the text between outer vertical bounding lines. Scribe 2) ff. 16v-26v, written below top line and leaving blank the final line of written space., and Two illuminated initials on ff. 1r and 2r, 5-line and 3-line, gold on blue, green and pale mauve ground with white vine-stem ornament and grey-green dots. On f. 1r vine-stem ornament on blue ground extends into inner margin (3-lines) to form partial border. Possibly by the same artist who executed the initials in Marston MS 257.
Subject (Geographic):
Greece--History
Subject (Topic):
Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Latin literature, Medieval and modern, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, and Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library
Manuscript on parchment of Leonardo Bruni, De bello italico adversus gothos, in the Italian version by Ludovico Petroni made in 1456. Preceded by the letter of Leonardo Bruni to Giuliano Cardinal Cesarini (1398-1444).
Description:
Binding: 18th-19th centuries, Italy. "Alla rustica" with grey-green paper added over the spine and part of the boards. Edges yellow., Partial border in inner margin of white vine-stem ornament, f. 1r, on blue, green and pink ground with white and blue dots. In lower border terminals extending in ink hair spray with green, pink and blue flowers and gold balls frame central medallion with a crude outline drawing of a head in profile (later addition?). Two decorated initials, 4- to 3-line, gold on blue, pink and green grounds with white vine-stem ornament. On f. 1r initial joined to partial border. Heading on f. 1r in red., and Script: Written by a single scribe in fere-gothic script, above top line.
Subject (Geographic):
Rome--History
Subject (Topic):
Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Italian literature--15th century, Literature, Medieval--Translations, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, and Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library
Basil, Saint, Bishop of Caesarea, ca. 329-379 Bruni, Leonardo, 1369-1444
Published / Created:
[between 1450 and 1500]
Call Number:
Marston MS 105
Image Count:
59
Resource Type:
Archives or Manuscripts
Abstract:
Manuscript composed in two parts. Part I (on parchment): 1) Basil the Great, De legendis libris gentilium, translated into Latin by Leonardo Bruni and with his dedicatory preface to Coluccio Salutati. 2) Unidentified poem. 3) Benedictus Cingulanus (Benedetto da Cingoli), Carmina. Part II (on paper) : 4) Ps.-Seneca, De remediis fortuitorum.
Description:
Binding: Sixteenth century, Italy. Front and rear pastedowns from an unidentified Latin moral treatise (Italy, ca. 1450). Sewn on three supports set in grooves on the outside of wooden boards. Plain wound endbands. The spine is round. Covered in brown calf, blind-tooled wtih an arabesque border and a central diamond with assorted fleurons. Aldine leaves and acorns dotted about. Spine: four fillets at head and tail and outlining the bands. There are five large, round bosses on each board and two fastenings, the catches on the upper board and the lower one cut in for the straps, one of which is wanting., Part I: Decoration consists of one illuminated full border, f. 2r, white vine-stem ornament with pale yellow shading on vibrant blue ground, green and deep purplish red and gold ground with white dots on blue, pale yellow dots on green and red. In lower border, medallion, framed by a wreath, with mutilated coat of arms. Illuminated initial, 4-line, gold, framed in pale yellow, on blue, green and red ground with yellow and white filigree, joined to the border. One large illuminated initial, f. 1r, gold on blue, green and red ground with white vine-stem ornament, extending into the upper and inner margin to form partial border. Small initial, 2-line, gold, framed in yellow, on red, blue and green gound with yellow filigree, f. 3r. Headings in red. Part II: Initials for paragraphs set apart from written space between vertical bounding lines., Purchased from the Florence dealer Olschki by H. P. Kraus, who sold it in 1955 to Thomas E. Marston., Script: Part I (ff. 1-17): Art. 1 written in a humanistic bookhand characterized by tall ascenders, above top line; arts. 2-3 added later in a less expert hand. Part II (ff. 18-25): Written in humanistic cursive script by a single scribe, above top line., Stained throughout., and Watermarks: unidentified basilisk buried in gutter.
Subject (Topic):
Classical education, Dialogues, Latin, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Latin poetry, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, and Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library
Bruni, Leonardo, 1369-1444 Burlaeus, Gualterus, 1275-1345? Homer Vegio, Maffeo, 1406 or 7-1458
Published / Created:
[ca. 1450 or between 1450 and 1475]
Call Number:
Marston MS 91
Image Count:
370
Resource Type:
Archives or Manuscripts
Abstract:
Manuscript on paper (highly polished) of 1) Walter Burley, De vita et moribus philosophorum. 2) Mapheius Vegius, Declamatio seu disputatio inter solem, terram et aurum. 3) Selected speeches from Homer, Iliad IX (Oratio Ulixis, Responsio Achillis, Oratio Phoenicis) translated into Latin and with a preface by Leonardo Bruni.
Description:
Binding: Nineteenth century, England. Straight-grained brown leather, gold tooled. Edges gilt. Bound by F. & T. Aitken. Title on spine: "Diogenis Laertii Philosophorum Vita et Dicta. Codex MS. Saec. XV"., Purchased from L. C. Witten in 1955 by Thomas E. Marston., Script: Written by a single scribe in humanistic cursive script with gothic features, above top line., The decoration consists of an elaborately illuminated page (f. 1r) in a style influenced by the "Master of the Vitae Imperatorum" who was active in Milan in the second quarter of the 15th century. Included in the full border of curling inkspray with heart-shaped and trefoil leaves in green, flowers in blue, red, pink and mauve, a strawberry, and gold balls is a standing figure of a naked boy holding a scroll inscribed with the motto "Seul e la fin." At the corners four quatrefoil medallions bordered in gold with portraits of philosophers against blue grounds with gold filigree. In lower border unidentified arms (quarterly, 1 and 4 or a millrind gules, 2 and 3 or a lion azure; with a bishop's mitre and crozier); in upper border a scroll with same motto as above. One historiated initial, f. 1r, 7-line, formed of acanthus leaves, mauve and red on gold ground, containing a portrait of the author against blue ground with gold filigree. One illuminated initial, 6-line, in mauve on gold ground with stylized foliage in green and blue with yellow highlights. In the text blank spaces for headings and initials., and Watermarks: unidentified crown over five-pointed star in upper margin, trimmed.
Subject (Topic):
Biography--Middle Ages, 500-1500, Dialogues, Latin (Medieval and modern), Epic poetry, Greek, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Literature, Medieval--Translations, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library, and Philosophy, Ancient
Aurispa, Giovanni, ca. 1376-1459 Bruni, Leonardo, 1369-1444 Griffolini, Francesco, 1418-1483 Phalaris, Tyrant of Agrigentum, 6th cent. B.C Plutarch Tibullus
Published / Created:
[between 1450 and 1475]
Call Number:
Marston MS 100
Image Count:
224
Resource Type:
Archives or Manuscripts
Abstract:
Manuscript on paper of 1) Phalaris, Epistolae, translated into Latin by Francesco Griffolini of Arezzo and dedicated to Malatesta Novella of Cesena. 2) Unidentified couplet. 3) Ps.-Brutus, Epistolae, translated by Rinuccio Aretino and dedicated to Pope Nicholas V. 4) Ps.-Plutarch, Epistola ad Traianum. 5) Ps.-Philip of Macedon, Epistola ad Aristotelem. 6) Plutarch, Pyrrhus (extract), Lat. tr. of Leonardo Bruni. 7) Ps.-Caesar, Epistola ad Ciceronem. Arts. 8-11 are excerpts from an 11th- or early 12th-century supplement to Curtius Rufus, Historia Alexandri Magni. 12) Ps.-Phalaris, Epistula ad Demotelem, Lat. tr. Giovanni Aurispa. 13) Tibullus (attributed), Priapea I.
Description:
Binding: Date? Italy (?). Sewn through pieces of vellum. Limp vellum case with title in ink on spine: "Phalaridis Epistole". Badly worm eaten., Purchased from C. A. Stonehill in 1955 by Thomas E. Marston., Script: Arts. 1 and 3-12 written in humanistic cursive by a single scribe, above top line; arts. 2 and 13 added in a more flamboyant style of humanistic cursive., Two illuminated initials, 4-line, gold against blue, green and dark red grounds with white vine-stem ornament and white dots. From the corners issue penwork inkspray with leaves, green with yellow or gold highlights, and blue or red blossoms, extending into margins to form partial border. Plain initials alternate in blue and red. Headings in pale red., and Watermarks: similar in design to Briquet Fleur 6597, 6601.
Subject (Name):
Phalaris,--Tyrant of Agrigentum,--6th cent. B.C
Subject (Topic):
Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Latin letters, Literature, Medieval--Translations, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, and Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library
Aeschines Anaximenes, of Lampsacus Bruni, Leonardo, 1369-1444 Demosthenes
Published / Created:
[ca. 1415-20]
Call Number:
Marston MS 10
Image Count:
207
Resource Type:
Archives or Manuscripts
Abstract:
Manuscript on parchment (speckled on hair side) of Greek works translated into Latin by Leonardo Bruni: 1) Demosthenes, Olynthica tertia. 2) Aeschines, Epistola senatui populoque Atheniensi. 3) Anaximenes of Lampsacus, Epistola Philippi ad Athenienses. 4) Aeschines, Oratio contra Ctesiphontem. 5) Demosthenes, Oratio pro Ctesiphonte (De corona).
Description:
Belonged to Sir Thomas Phillipps., Binding: Nineteenth century, France or Italy. Brown calf blind- and gold-tooled, with shells and caducei in the blind-tooled borders. Edges red., One very fine illuminated initial, 12-line, in gold on vibrant blue ground with white vine-stem ornament. The stems of the initial are divided into compartments and filled with penwork decoration in red, blue and green on parchment ground. Four small initials, 6- to 5-line, gold on vibrant blue ground with white vine-stem ornament. Headings in red., and Script: Written in an expert humanistic bookhand characterized by prominent approach and finishing strokes. The headings in red are by a different scribe.
Subject (Name):
Demosthenes
Subject (Topic):
Greek letters, Literature, Medieval--Translations, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library, and Speeches, addresses, etc., Greek