Borso d'Este Bible

Illumination including Este coat of arms
Page from the Borso d'Este Bible

The Bible of Borso d'Este is a two volume manuscript. The illuminated miniatures, work of Taddeo Crivelli and others, were executed between 1455 and 1461. The work is held in the Biblioteca Estense di Modena (Ms. Lat. 422-423.)

History

The Bible of Borso d'Este, one of the most sophisticated expressions of Renaissasnce miniature work, was executed on manuscript in a six-year period by a team of artists directed byTaddeo Crivelli and Franco dei Russi. It was taken from Ferrara to Modena in 1598, where it remained until the end of the duchy in 1859. Them it was taken together with the most precious treatures of the royal house by Francesco V. Carried out of Italy it was recovered during eh First World War when it was acquired by a senator, Giovanni Treccani, e then donated to the Modena library.

Description and style

Every page of the Bible is decorated with an elegant frame of scrolls and other ornaments, surrounding two columns of texts. The margins contain various scenes, especially in the lower parts, where one often finds scenes drawn in perspective. borrowing from advances in painting of the time. Scenes are also depicted between the columns of text, usually next to the capital or illuminated letters. In the volutes in the corners, there are often animals, depicted with lively imagination that is part of the courtly style of the time, and often tied to heraldic symbols of Borso and his family.

Other Images

Reproductions

In 1923, the businessman Giovanni Treccani acquired in Paris, for the enormous sum of 5million lire, the Borso d'Este Bible, that was due to be sold in America, and donated it to the Kingdom of Italy. On his initiative, various other copies have been created

Bibliography

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