Beschreibung:

SENECA, Lucius Annaeus. Epistolae . ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM. [Milan, ca.1440]. 228 x 164mm, 228 leaves (including final 4 blank leaves), COMPLETE, collation: 1-19 12 , 29/30 lines, ruled in blind, justification mostly 153 x 94mm, written by two scribes in brown ink, in a cursive humanist bookhand, headings on first 3 ff in red, two-line initials throughout in blue or red with contrasting penwork decoration, 3 HISTORIATED ILLUMINATED INITIALS, (worming throughout, mainly marginal, but affecting letters at beginning and end). Contemporary panelled calf over wooden boards, tooled in blind with a variety of small stamps, 3 brass catches (clasps lacking), flat spine sewn on four thongs, but without leather back, which however may never have been present (binding rubbed and wormed), in half morocco case. PROVENANCE: (1) Dionigi de Garbagnate, contemporary or very early ownership inscription on final blank leaf commencing 'Hic liber est mei dñi dionisi de garbagnate filius quondam dñi tomi de garbagnate porte Cumensis paroquie Sancti protaxii ... Mli' [i.e.Milan]. The Garbagnate were one of the great Milanese families connected with the Visconti court, of whom the most famous was Francesco, a friend of Matteo I Visconti and of the Emperor Henry VII, in the first quarter of the 14th century. (2) Capella beatae Johannis Sordi? in the diocese of Milan 1659, (erased inscription on rear fly-leaf). Early 19th-century library shelf label on spine. TEXT: This comprises the spurious correspondence with St.Paul, preceding the correspondence with Lucilius. DECORATION: Two historiated initials on folio 1, the first (a 4-line L) showing St.Paul? seated, writing, the second (a 7-line C ) has Seneca handing a letter to a messenger. On folio 4 (a 17-line I) supporting Seneca reading a scroll. These appear to be by the Master of the Vitae Imperatorum , one of the foremost Milanese illuminators of the time, who was employed at the court of the Visconti.