Manuscript

Bibliothèque Nationale de France, ital. 450
Libro della natura degli animali (Tuscan Bestiary)

Codicology

Current Location: Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris, France
Shelfmark: ital. 450
Produced: Florence, 14th century
Manuscript Type: Miscellany
Bestiary Family: Italian
Language: Italian
Folios: 73
Illustrated: Yes
Media: Parchment
Dimensions: Height: 28 cm Width: 21 cm
Sample page - Bibliothèque Nationale de France ital. 450
Folio 34r

Description

The Tuscan Bestiary, also known as Libro della natuara degli animali. There are three parts to this manuscript, though the first two parts are not separated in the manuscript.

  1. Folio 3r-25r: The bestiary, with 50 chapters. Illustrated with colored line drawings. The drawings have been removed on folios 14v (peacock), 17r (viper-dragon), 17v (sawfish, pelican), 20r (vulture), 22r (fox), 24r (hair of the elephant), 24v (asp). There is folio lost between 23 and 24; the rubric for the partridge chapter is at the bottom of 23v with no other text, a chapter on the snake is missing entirely, and the start of the stag chapter on 24r is missing.
  2. Folio 25r-29v: Fables, with 13 chapters. There is no break in the manuscript between Part 1 and Part 2. Illustrated with colored line drawings. The drawings have been removed on folio 28v (Shepard and serpent). The image from folio 25v (lion and bulls) was also cut out, but is preserved on folio 31r. The section ends with the incomplete fable of the bull, goat and lion; the rest of it, plus presumably the fable of the lion, the cow, the sheep and the goat (AKA the lion's share) is on a missing folio between 29 and 30.
  3. Folio 30r-36v: Additional animal chapters. Illustrated with colored line drawings. The illustrations have been cut out on folio 34r (antelope) and 34v (bear). One folio has been lost between 29 and 30; this contained the start of Part 3 (the prologue). This is one of three manuscripts to include the additional chapters; the others are Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Chig.M.VI.137 (Ch1) and Wellcome Collection, MS.132 (Lo).

Title: Lu libro del animali et de uccielli et del loro nature per belli exempli; coi disegni dei varî animali ("The book of animals and birds and their natures for beautiful examples; with drawings of the various animals")

This Tuscan Bestiary manuscript is designated P ("Par" by McKenzie).


[Adapted from the BNF description]

Lu libro del animali et de uccielli et del loro nature per belli exempli ; coi disegni dei varî animali (f. 1-33). " Lo libro delli costumi e regimento delli segnori lu quale in altro modo se appella le secrete delli secreti... " (f. 34-65; Cfr. Cod. 447). " Delle significatione della luna nelli signi " (f. 65-67). " Notuele epistola " indirizzata " al prudente homo amico suo karissimo teodoro dello inuictissimo Cesaro philippo Alitardeo Aliçaliph de Babeach sacerdote de philosophie " (f. 66-70).


[From McKenzie, page 387-389]

Unfortunately, it has been shockingly mutilated by the cutting out of some of the illustrations that adorned it, and by the loss some entire leaves. ... The pictures that remain are skillfully drawn with a kind of wash, several colors being used. ... Pictures have been cut out from the following folios: 14, 17, 20, 22, 24, 25, 28, 34.... The text divides itself naturally into three parts: the bestiary (ff. 3r-25r), the fables (ff 25r-29V), and a number of supplementary chapters which do not appear in manuscripts (ff. 30r-36v).

Additional Descriptions

Additional description 1
Additional description 2 (page 387-398)
Additional description 3 (page 8-9)

Editions and Facsimiles

Printed editions

Maximilian Goldstaub, Richard Wendriner, Ein Tosco-Venezianischer Bestiarius (1892)

Milton S. Garver, Kenneth McKenzie, Il Bestiario Toscano: secondo la lexione dei codice di Padua e di Roma (1912)

Davide Checchi, Libro della natura degli animali : bestiario toscano del secolo 13. : edizione critica (2020)

Digital facsimiles

Bibliothèque Nationale de France (lmonochrome images from microfilm)