Saturday, September 08, 2012

Three magnificent d’Medici manuscripts exhibited in Firenze this autumn

“Magnifici tre” is title of a spectacular exhibition in Firenze this autumn. On show are three manuscripts representing the absolute state of the art anno 1486-7.

 The three manuscripts were ordered by Lorenzo de’ Medici, also known as Il Magnifico, as gifts to his three daughters, Luisa, Maddalena and Lucrezia. For the first time in five centuries the three manuscripts – two originals and one facsimile – will be exhibited along side each other at the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana. All three manuscripts belong to the category “Book of Hours”. They were ordered in connection with their betrothals and marriages at the Florentine workshop of Antonio Sinibaldi. The extreme preciousness of the glittering gold, the semi-precious stones and the enamel – and the exceptional quality of the illuminated pages of these three books – turn them into veritable jewels and absolute masterpieces of Florentine Renaissance.

Click here to read this article from Medieval Histories