History:Book of Treasures
The Book of Treasures also referred to as Tesoro and Trésor, from its original title in old French "Li livres dou tresor", is a series of manuscripts written by Brunetto Latini, a Florentine politician, poet, historian and philosopher, teacher and friend of Dante Alighieri.
History
This production was written in Langues d'oïl, during the author's exile in France between years 1260 and 1267, because as the own author explains: "la parleure est plus delitable et plus comune a touz languaiges"[1] ("It was the most enjoyable and most common spoken language" back in 13th century).
It is a summary of the encyclopaedic knowledge of the day. In fact it is regarded as the first encyclopedia written in a modern European language.[2]
The Italian 13th-century translation was misattributed to Bono Giamboni.
The original work can be found nowadays at the National Library of Russia, based in Saint Petersburg.
Description
The publication was made of 298 pages and 155 miniatures, and it was originally bound in brown leather with mosaic designs.
It consists of three books:
- the first book contains the «universal history» knowledge of the day. It begins with the Biblical history, followed by the history of Troy, Rome and the Middle Ages. It then contains a natural history section, a comprehensive compilation of astronomy and geography. It also addresses certain animal and bird species in-depth;
- the second book concerns «ethics»: it features the thinking of modern and classical moralists and it studies the vices and virtues that characterize humanity;
- and finally the third book, which is the most original part of Latini's work, deals with matters related to «politics and the art of governing», that according to the author "it is the most honorable and the highest science, the noblest of professions on earth" (...).
The artist's imagination fills the margin of 18 pages with countless arabesque which constitute one of the most highly developed and earliest series of this genre in the history of European Miniature. The illustration of natural history employ traditional layouts dating back to Romanesque bestiary.
External links
- Facsimile edition by M.Moleiro Editor, 1999, ISBN:978-84-88526-52-6.
References
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