Liber Iesus and Treatise on Grammar by Donatus

Liber Iesus and Treatise on Grammar by Donatus – Franco Cosimo Panini Editore – Ms. 2163 and Ms. 2167 – Biblioteca Trivulziana del Castello Sforzesco (Milan, Italy)

Milan (Italy) β€” Late 15th century

On the upbringing of the young Maximilian Sforza, son of the powerful Duke of Milan: Latin grammar combined with late antique moral concepts and beautiful Renaissance miniatures

  1. A Latin grammar book is combined with a moralistic treatise in this splendid and extremely rare primer

  2. It was commissioned by the Duke of Milan, Ludovico il Moro (1452–1508), for his son Maximilian Sforza (1493–1530)

  3. The original works from the 4th century were authored by the Romans Aelius Donatus and Dionysius Cato

Liber Iesus and Treatise on Grammar by Donatus

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  1. Description
  2. Detail Picture
  3. Single Page
  4. Facsimile Editions (1)
Description
Liber Iesus and Treatise on Grammar by Donatus

This is a rare primer that was beautifully illuminated for Maximilian Sforza, eldest son of the Duke of Milan. It is a combination of both a grammatical handbook and a morally instructive treatise. Although primarily concerned with Latin, Italian and German texts are also included. This is probably the most gorgeous specimen of medieval Europe’s most popular Latin textbook, which was likely written in the 4th century.

Liber Iesus and Treatise on Grammar by Donatus

Illuminated primers intended for the education of children are among the rarest manuscripts produced during the Middle Ages. This primer was commissioned by the Duke of Milan, Ludovico il Moro (1452–1508), for his eldest son Maximilian Sforza (1493–1530) and features numerous splendid portraits of the Italian princeling. The text consists primarily of two parts, the Liber Iesus and the Grammatica del Donato, an anonymous adaptation of the Ars grammatica by Aelius Donatus, a Roman grammarian and teacher of rhetoric active in the mid-4th century and tutor of Saint Jerome (347-420). The work by Donatus belongs to the literary genre of the Ianuae and contains both grammatical and moralistic treatises. It is followed by the Disticha Catonis, a Latin collection of proverbial wisdom and morality by an unknown author named Dionysius Cato, who lived in the 3rd or 4th century. It was the most popular Latin textbook of the Middle Ages and was translated into numerous languages. Other elements of the primer include Italian poems, German dialogues, and prayers in Latin. The text was written down by a Milanese scribe named Giovanni Battista Lorenzi, whose skilled text has survived in many works but about whom little is known. It is adorned with wonderful full-page miniatures from various famous artists including Giovanni Ambrogio de Predis (ca. 1455 – ca. 1508), the Master of the Epithalamion of Jason de Mayno, Giovan Pietro Birago (active 1471–1513), the Master of Anna Sforza, and Boccaccio Boccaccino (ca. 1467 – ca. 1525).

Codicology

Alternative Titles
Libri per una educazione rinascimentale : Grammatica del Donato : Liber Iesus
Libretto
Libretto del Iesus
Libretto del ABC
Buch Iesus und die Abhandlung der Grammatik von Donatus
Size / Format
28 pages (Ms. 2163) + 108 pages (Ms. 2167) / 19.8 Γ— 13.8 cm (Ms. 2163) + 27.4 Γ— 17.7 cm (Ms. 2167)
Origin
Italy
Date
Late 15th century
Script
Humanistic minuscule Square capitals
Illustrations
11 large miniatures and various decorated initials, tituli and borders
Content
Primer for Maximilian Sforza with the Liber Iesus, the Grammatica del Donato, the Disticha Catonis, Italian poems, German dialogs and Latin prayers
Patron
Ludovico il Moro (1452–1508), Duke of Milan
Artist / School
Previous Owners
Maximilian Sforza (1493–1530)

Available facsimile editions:
Liber Iesus and Treatise on Grammar by Donatus – Franco Cosimo Panini Editore – Ms. 2163 and Ms. 2167 – Biblioteca Trivulziana del Castello Sforzesco (Milan, Italy)
Franco Cosimo Panini Editore – Modena, 2016
Limited Edition: 699 copies
Detail Picture

Liber Iesus and Treatise on Grammar by Donatus

Pater Noster

While most of the miniatures in this magnificent primer show allegorical and everyday scenes, in which Maximilian himself is often depicted, the Latin Lord's Prayer ("Pater noster") is introduced by a representation of Christ as Salvator Mundi. In keeping with the end of what is probably the most famous Christian prayer - "deliver us from evil" - Christ appears here as the "Savior of the world" with a cross halo, a gesture of blessing and a golden orb in his left hand. The double-framed, small miniature evokes associations with panel paintings on the one hand, but also takes up the initial P of the prayer, whose golden letters surround Christ's head.

Liber Iesus and Treatise on Grammar by Donatus – Franco Cosimo Panini Editore – Ms. 2163 and Ms. 2167 – Biblioteca Trivulziana del Castello Sforzesco (Milan, Italy)
Single Page

Liber Iesus and Treatise on Grammar by Donatus

Portrait of Maximilian Sforza

Ambrogio de Predis was the court painter to Ludovico Maria Sforza, il Moro, and was particularly renowned for his masterly portraits. No wonder, then, that he painted this full-page portrait of Maximilian on fol. 1v as the prelude to his primer. Interestingly, de Predis also worked at times as a court painter for Bianca Maria Sforza and her husband, Emperor Maximilian I, after whom Maximilian Sforza was named.

No more than six years old at the time of creation, Maximilian is shown in the traditional profile view - the typical mode of representation for portraits of rulers since antiquity. His soft, childlike facial features stand out against the deep black background, with which the boy's dark armor almost seems to merge. His red cap, however, which corresponds to the fashion of the time, stands out clearly and also overlaps the narrow golden frame of the picture.

Liber Iesus and Treatise on Grammar by Donatus – Franco Cosimo Panini Editore – Ms. 2163 and Ms. 2167 – Biblioteca Trivulziana del Castello Sforzesco (Milan, Italy)
Facsimile Editions

#1 Grammatica del Donato e Liber Iesus La Grammatica Sforza

Franco Cosimo Panini Editore – Modena, 2016

Publisher: Franco Cosimo Panini Editore – Modena, 2016
Limited Edition: 699 copies
Binding: Brown Leather binding with blind and gold tooling
Commentary: 1 volume by Jonathan J.G. Alexander, Pier Luigi Mulas, and Marzia Pontone
Language: Italian
1 volume: Exact reproduction of the original document (extent, color and size) Reproduction of the entire original document as detailed as possible (scope, format, colors). The binding may not correspond to the original or current document binding.
Facsimile Copy Available!
Price Category: €€
(1,000€ - 3,000€)
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