Accession number
MS M.721
Object title
La sfera.
Created
Italy, probably Florence, second half of 15th century.
Binding
Limp Italian vellum with two ties.
Description
24 leaves (1 column, 24 lines), bound : vellum, ill. ; 280 x 200 mm
Provenance
Erased arms of first owner (per pale indented or and azure, the latter charged with three mullets or); purchased in Nov. 1908 by George Dunn (inscription on flyleaf); his sale (London, Sotheby's, Feb. 11-15, 1913, lot 455) to Quaritch; purchased from Voynich, Jun. 29, 1927.
Notes
Ms. verse; written and illuminated in Tuscany, Italy, probably in Florence, in the second half of the 15th century.
Text: 124 rhymed stanzas of 8 lines each.
Astronomical-geographic poemetto in ottave; gives information about the world, the marinaresche compass and other things, adding observations, notes about travel and designs.
Decoration: 20 marginal illustrations (colored wash drawings of maps and celestial spheres); 1 white-vine illuminated initial.
The illumination of M.721 is unfinished. The map of Crimea on fol. 24v was not completed.
Text: 124 rhymed stanzas of 8 lines each.
Astronomical-geographic poemetto in ottave; gives information about the world, the marinaresche compass and other things, adding observations, notes about travel and designs.
Decoration: 20 marginal illustrations (colored wash drawings of maps and celestial spheres); 1 white-vine illuminated initial.
The illumination of M.721 is unfinished. The map of Crimea on fol. 24v was not completed.
Script
humanistic script
Language
Italian, the Tuscan dialect
Resources
Century
Catalog link
Classification
Department