Yates Thompson MS 36

Dante Alighieri, Divina commedia. Pope-Hennessy 1993 proposed a date for the manuscript of after 1444, partly depending on the representations of the dome and cupola of Florence Cathedral, under construction during these years.

Contents:

1. (ff. 1r-63v): Inferno. Incipit (f. 1r): 'Nel mezo del camin di nostra vita / mi ritrovai per una selva scura'.

2. (ff. 65r-128r): Purgatorio. Incipit (f. 65r): 'Per corre meglior acqua alza le vele / omai la navjcella dell'.

3. (ff. 129r-190v): Paradiso. Rubric (in gold, f. 129r): '[C]omincia la terza cantica di la comedia di dante aldighieri de firenze chiamata paradiso nella quale tracta de beati e dilla celestiale gloria e di meriti e premij di santi e dividise in nove parti si come lo inferno canto primo nello cui principio lautore prohemiza alla sequente cantica e sono nello alimento dill o fuogo e Beatrice solue allo autore una questione nello quale canto lautore promecte di tractare le cose divine invocando la sicentia poetica cioe apollo idio dilla sapientia'. Incipit (f. 129r): '[L]a gloria de chului che tuctu move / per luniverso penetre risplende'.

Decoration:

3 large historiated initials, developing partial foliate borders, in colours and gold, at the beginning of the Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso (ff. 1r, 65r, 129r). 110 large miniatures in the lower margin, in colours and gold (ff. 2r, 4r, 5r, 6r, 7v, 8v, 9r, 10r, 11r, 12v, 14r, 16r, 18r, 20r, 21v, 23r, 25r, 27r, 29r, 30v, 32r, 34r, 35v, 37v, 39v, 42r, 44r, 46r, 47v, 49r, 51r, 53r, 55r, 56v, 59r, 61r, 62v, 68r, 76v, 84r, 88r, 93v, 98v, 100r, 107r, 113v, 116v, 119r, 129r, 130r, 131r, 132r, 133r, 134r, 135r, 136r, 137r, 138r, 139r, 140r, 141r, 142r, 143r, 144r, 145r, 146r, 147r, 148r, 149r, 150r, 151r, 152r, 153r, 154r, 155r, 156r, 157r, 158r, 159r, 160r, 161r, 162r, 163r, 164r, 165r, 166r, 167r, 168r, 169r, 170r, 171r, 172r, 173r, 174r, 175r, 176r, 177r, 178r, 179r, 180r, 181r, 182r, 183r, 184r, 185r, 186r, 187r, 188r, 189r, 190r). Large decorated initials with foliate extensions into the margins, in colours and gold. Small initials in gold on pink, blue, and/or green grounds. Inferno and Purgatorio (ff. 1-128), and all historiated initials illuminated by Priamo della Quercia between 1442 and 1450 (previously attributed to Lorenzo Vecchietta, see Pope-Hennessy 1947); Paradiso (ff. 129-190v) illuminated by Giovanni di Paolo c. 1450.

Miniatures:

f. 1r: (above) historiated initial 'N'(el) of Dante and Virgil in a dark wood, with four half-length figures representing Justice, Power, Peace and Temperance; (below) arms of Alphonso V, king of Aragon, Naples, and Sicily;

f. 2r: miniature of Dante's vision of hell, where he is attacked by three wild beasts (the leopard, representing lust, the lion, pride, and the she-wolf, greed) and at the right, Dante meeting Virgil, in illustration of Canto I;

f. 4r: miniature of Dante and Virgil standing before the gates of Hell, with the three sainted ladies, Beatrice, Lucia, and Rachel, floating in clouds above, in illustration of Canto II;

f. 5r: miniature of Dante and Virgil in the vestibolo, in illustration of Canto III;

f. 6r: miniature of Dante being rowed by Charon across the River Acheron, from the closing lines of Canto III in the Inferno;

f. 7v: miniature of Virgil introducing Dante to the poets of antiquity (Homer, Horace, Ovid and Lucan) in illustration of Canto IV;

f. 8v: miniature of the judgement of Minos, in illustration of Canto V;

f. 9r: miniature of the cardinal sinners being punished in Hell, in illustration of Canto V;

f. 10r: miniature of Virgil addressing Paolo and Francesca, as Dante swoons in horror, in illustration of Canto V;

f. 11r: miniature of Virgil flinging earth in the jaws of Cerberus, in the third circle, that of rain, hail, wind and snow, in illustration of Canto VI;

f. 12v: miniature of Dante and Virgil entering the fourth circle, with Plutus Avaricius, the Prodigals and the Wrathful, illustrating Canto VII;

f. 14r: miniature of Dante and Virgil being rowed across the river Styx by a demon rower, Phlegyas, and Dante and Virgil at the brazen gates of the city of Dis, in illustration of Canto VIII;

f. 16r: miniature of Virgil holding Dante's eyes to prevent him seeing the Gorgon pass, and Virgil and Dante entering the city of Dis, in illustration of Canto IX;

f. 18r: miniature of Dante and Virgil walking between the walls and the tombs in the city of Dis, and Dante conversing with Farinata degli Uberti and Cavalcante de’ Cavalcanti, who are in their sarcophagi, in illustration of Canto X;

f. 20r: miniature of Dante and Virgil looking into the tomb of Pope Anastasius, and the three tiers of the violent, suicides, and other malefactors, in illustration of Canto XI;

f. 21v: miniature of Dante and Virgil encountering a centaur, and the centaur Nessus carrying Dante and Virgil on his back past the lake of boiling blood in which are submerged Attila and other tyrants, in illustration of Canto XII;

f. 23r: miniature of Dante breaking a branch from one of the trees in the wood of the suicide, which shouts in pain and bleeds, Dante and Virgil conversing with the wounded tree, Piero delle Vigne, and watching the souls of two suicides being chased by demons, while harpies perch in the trees, in illustration of Canto XIII;

f. 25r: miniature of Dante and Virgil encountering the huge form of Capaneus, behind whom are eight souls, the violent against God, in illustration of Canto XIV;

f. 27r: miniature of Dante and Virgil being met by the soul of Brunetti Latini, Dante's teacher, who walks on with Dante, as five literary souls, all tonsured, walk off to the right, in illustration of Canto XV;

f. 29r: miniature of Dante and Virgil being approached by three souls, Guidoguerra, Tegghiaio Aldobrandi, and Jacopo Rusticucci, and Virgil throwing Dante's cord into a lake and drawing up the woman-headed monster Geryon, in illustration of Canto XVI;

f. 30v: miniature of Virgil speaking to Geryon, and Dante speaking to three souls standing under a shower of flames in the compartment of the usurers, in illustration of Canto XVII;

f. 32r: miniature of Virgil and Dante entering the eighth circle, that of adulterers, seducers, and flatterers, in illustration of Canto XVIII;

f. 34r: miniature of Dante and Virgil entering the area devoted to simoniacs and magicians, while Dante speaks to the upside-down figure of Pope Nicholas III, with a figure of the True Church in the centre, as a lady dressed in blue with a gold star on her breast, and a seven-headed monster before her (presumably the false church), in illustration of Canto XIX;

f. 35v: miniature of Dante and Virgil witnessing the punishment of the diviners, whose heads are turned backwards because they had attempted to see too far into the future, in illustration of Canto XX;

f. 37v: miniature of Dante and Virgil winessing the torments of the barterers, in illustration of Canto XXI;

f. 39v: miniature of Dante and Virgil winessing the torments of the barterers, in illustration of Canto XXII;

f. 42r: miniature of Dante and Virgil encountering three couples of hypocrites, clad in gilt hoods, while on the ground are stretched Caiaphas and Annas, in illustration of Canto XXIII;

f. 44r: miniature of Dante and Virgil in the area devoted to the punishment of robbers, and Dante and Virgil speaking to Vanno Fucci, the pillager of a church in Pistoia, and three others tormented by serpents, in illustration of Canto XXIV;

f. 46r: miniature of Dante and Virgil witnessing Vanno Fucci, the pillager of a church in Pistoia, being attacked by the monster Cacus, who is half-centaur and half-dragon, and Dante and Virgil speaking to three other souls, tormented by snakes and lizards, in illustration of Canto XXV;

f. 47v: miniature of Dante and Virgil among the evil counsellors, and Dante and Virgil meeting Ulysses and Diomede, in illustration of Canto XXVI;

f. 49r: miniature of Dante and Virgil meeting Guido di Montefeltro, with five souls behind him burning in fire, in illustration of Canto XXVII;

f. 51r: miniature of Dante and Virgil encountering the sowers of discord, scandalmongers and schismatics, including Mohammed and Bertrand de Born, in illustration of Canto XXVIII;

f. 53r: miniature of Dante and Virgil encountering groups of coiners, counterfeiters, alchemists, and forgers, in illustration of Canto XXIX;

f. 55r: miniature of Dante and Virgil encountering other kinds of imposters and forgers, including Simon of Troy and Adamo of Brescia, in illustration of Canto XXX;

f. 56v: miniature of Dante and Virgil encountering the three giants (Nimrod, Ephialtes, and Ataeus), with Antaeus carrying Dante and Virgil across a stream, in illustration of Canto XXXI;

f. 59r: miniature of Dante and Virgil witnessing the traitors in the frozen marsh, and Dante attempts to raise the traitor Bocca by his hair, while Ugolino sinks his teeth in the Archbishop Ruggieri's head, in illustration of Canto XXXII;

f. 61r: miniature of Dante and Virgil witnessing the story of the death of Count Ugolino della Gheradesca and his four children, in illustration of Canto XXXIII;

f. 62v: miniature of Dante and Virgil witnessing the gigantic figure of Dis, with his three mouths biting on the sinners Cassius, Judas, and Brutus, and Dante and Virgil emerging from the Inferno, in illustration of Canto XXXIV;

f. 65r: historiated initial 'P'(Per) of Dante setting sail for Purgatory;

f. 68r: miniature of Dante encountering Casella and Cato;

f. 76v: miniature of Dante with Virgil and Sordello, and a serpent being beaten off by two angels;

f. 84r: miniature of Dante and Virgil at the gates of Purgatory, and the Proud carrying heavy stones, in illustration of Canto IX of the Purgatorio;

f. 88r: miniature of Dante and Virgil with the Envious and their cloaks;

f. 93v: miniature of Dante and Virgil with the Wrathful in Purgatory;

f. 98v: miniature of Dante speaking to two of the Slothful, while Virgil observes the two Slothful, and the Siren, illustrating Canto XVIII/XIX of Dante's Purgatorio;

f. 100r: miniature of Dante and Virgil with Pope Adrian V, Hugh Capet, and Statius, in Purgatory;

f. 107r: miniature of Dante and Virgil before Forese Donati, who explains the punishment due to the Gluttons, who see food they cannot reach;

f. 113v: miniature of Dante and Virgil observing the fate of the Lustful;

f. 116v: miniature of Dante and Virgil with others within the earthly Paradise;

f. 119r: miniature of Dante and Virgil with others in the heavenly Procession;

f. 129r: (above) historiated initial 'L'(a gloria) of Christ in a chariot with Evangelist symbols, and Adam and Eve; (below) miniature of Dante and Apollo before Parnassus;

f. 130r: miniature of Beatrice explaining to Dante that the universe is a hierarchy of being, with creatures devoid of reason in the early 'sea of being', and heaven as nine spheres ruled by the figure of love;

f. 131r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice visiting the inhabitants of the heaven of the moon;

f. 132r: miniature of Beatrice explaining some scientific theories to Dante, including the appearance of the moon;

f. 133r: miniature of Dante, with the sun of love on his chest, encountering nuns and naked men, including the spirits of Piccarda and Constance, from the Paradiso, Canto III;

f. 134r: miniature of the stories of Piccarda and Constance;

f. 135r: miniature of Nebuchadnezzar, lying in bed, telling Daniel his dream, while Moses, John the Evangelist, and John the Baptist sit enclosed in a circle of seraphs, and the Archangels Raphael, Gabriel and Michael stand below, in illustration of Paradiso, Canto IV;

f. 136r: miniature of exempla from Beatrice's explanation of the doctrine of free will, including St Lawrence on the grate;

f. 137r: miniature of four further exempla, including the sacrifice of Iphigenia;

f. 138r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice hovering before the Haven of Mercury, in which souls are enclosed, while below, four young men are standing before a Pope, who holds up open volumes containing the Old and New Testaments, in illustration of Paradiso V;

f. 139r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice before Justinian, who recounts the history of the Roman Empire;

f. 140r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice before the four daughters of Count Berengar;

f. 141r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice witnessing the mystery of the Redemption;

f. 142r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice ascending the heaven of Venus;

f. 143r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice hovering before Charles Martel, who stands within the Heaven of Venus, while below, Aeneas is standing before a Sicilian city, as three warriors approach, in illustration of Paradiso, Canto VIII;

f. 144r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice encountering the spirit of Cunizza da Romano;

f. 145r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice before Folco, who inveighs against the corruption of the Florentines;

f. 146r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice before ascending to the Heaven of the Sun;

f. 147r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice in the sphere of the sun being greeted by Aquinas and Albertus Magnus, while ten other great intellectural authorities (the Doctors of the Church) are seated below, including Bede, Ambrose, Isidore, and Boethius;

f. 148r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice before Thomas Aquinas, who presents the two to Dominic and Francis, both standing on winged cherubim, in illustration of Paradiso, Canto XI;

f. 149r: miniature of the renunciation of Francis before a bishop;

f. 150r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice before Bonaventure, who is standing in the Heaven of the Sun, while on the right, Dominic is preaching to a group of heathens, in illustration of Paradiso, Canto XII;

f. 151r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice, on the left, and Bonaventure, on the right, hovering over the Twelve Doctors of the Church (Paradiso XII);

f. 152r: miniature of the legends of Theseus and Ariadne;

f. 153r: miniature of Adam, Christ and Solomon, with a sunburst of glory behind them;

f. 154r: miniature of the Resurrection of the dead;

f. 155r: miniature of Dante witnessing the meeting of Aeneas and Anchises;

f. 156r: miniature of Dante witnessing the death of Cacciaguida;

f. 157r: miniature of Dante being shown the Florentine towns;

f. 158r: miniature of Dante being shown the legend of Hippolytus;

f. 159r: miniature of Dante being expelled from Florence, and of Dante composing his poem in exile;

f. 160r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice ascending to the Heaven of Mars;

f. 161r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice ascending to the Heaven of Jupiter;

f. 162r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice before the eagle of Justice;

f. 163r: miniature of ten wicked Christian kings seated on a bench below an open book, in illustration of Paradiso XIX;

f. 164r: miniature of five Just Princes, atop the eagle of Justice;

f. 165r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice ascending to the Heaven of Saturn;

f. 166r: miniature of Robert Guiscard, William the Good, Charles II and Frederick of Aragon, seated near Sicily and Naples, in illustration of Paradiso XX/XXI;

f. 167r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice before Peter Damian, who stands within the Heaven of Saturn, with four scenes from the life of Peter Damian below, in illustration of Paradiso XXI;

f. 168r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice before Benedict, with scenes from his life below;

f. 169r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice before the Seven Spheres of Man;

f. 170r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice witnessing the Triumph of Christ, with Christ looking down on a group of kneeling souls, enclosed in a circle of stars, in illustration of Paradiso XXIII;

f. 171r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice before Christ, who is surrounded by saints and angels;

f. 172r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice before Peter, who is standing in a circle of stars and interrogating Dante, in illustration of Paradiso XXIV;

f. 173r: miniature of Beatrice watching as Dante kneels before Peter, who places a cord around his neck. Peter and eight souls are enclosed in a circle of stars, while on the right, a personification of Faith carries a cross, in illustration of Paradiso XXIV;

f. 174r: miniature of Dante being examined by James and John, with Christ and angels looking on;

f. 175r: miniature of Beatrice watching as Dante is examined by John the Evangelist, who stands within a circle of golden stars with five naked souls;

f. 176r: miniature of Beatrice watching as Dante kneels before Adam, who stands within a circle of golden stars with five naked souls;

f. 177r: miniature of Beatrice watching as Dante kneels before Peter, who stands with the Trinity within a circle of golden stars with three naked souls, while on the right, two warriors are kneeling before a Pope, in illustration of Paradiso XXVII;

f. 178r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice before Christ the Redeemer;

f. 179r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice before the Light;

f. 180r: miniature of Beatrice watching as Dante kneels before the orders of angels, who are kneeling before the Trinity; on the right, Dionysius sits, with an open book on his knee, in illustration of Paradiso XXVIII;

f. 181r: miniature of Beatrice, hovering above a kneeling Dante's head, gesturing towards the Trinity, while below, the Archangels Michael and Raphael fight the fallen angels, in illustration of Paradiso XXIX;

f. 182r: miniature of the sermon of a hypocritical priest, who preaches to six seated figures while a demon tugs on his hood, and a standing man holds a pig by his hind legs, in illustration of Paradiso XXIX;

f. 183r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice kneeling before the Holy Trinity and the River of Light, with naked souls below;

f. 184r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice before the Empyrean, the Heavenly City, with the congregation of the blessed seated on benches surrounding an empty imperial throne, in illustration of Paradiso XXX;

f. 185r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice before the Celestial Rose, with the Holy Trinity and the orders of angels among the petals, in illustration of Paradiso XXXI;

f. 186r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice before the Virgin and Child, seated in a garden and surrounded by angels and a kneeling Bernard, in illustration of Paradiso XXXIII;

f. 187r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice before the Virgin and Child, who are seated within the Celestial Rose, surrounded by various saints;

f. 188r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice before Bernard, who sits within the Celestial Rose; at the top of the Rose is the Virgin Mary and Gabriel at the moment of the Annunciation, with other saints below;

f. 189r: miniature of Bernard presenting a kneeling Dante to the Virgin and Child enthroned;

f. 190r: miniature of Dante and Beatrice before Dante's vision of the Virgin.