Shelfmark
MS 137
Author
Title
On architecture [manuscript]
Varying form of title
Title in M. R. James catalogue: Vitruvii De architectura libri X
Varying form of title
Title in Ker, MLGB II: Vitruvius
Publication, distribution, etc.
Italy, 1300-1500.
Physical description
1 v. : ill. (initials) ; 309 x 202 mm.
Language
Written in Latin. Greek quotations at f. 44r.
Note
Secundo folio: titudinis effectus.
Note
Material: membrane; Gregory's rule (FHHF).
Note
Format: codex.
Note
Written space: 213 x 119 mm.
Note
Number of leaves: iii + 64 + i.
Note
Collation: 1¹⁰ 2⁸ 3-6¹⁰ 7⁸ (5, 6 cancelled).
Note
Quire and leaf signatures and catchwords: a combination of letters (a-g) and Roman numerals are used to mark leaves, and Arabic numerals of quire number at the top centre of first folio. Catchwords added in the bottom centre of last folio of each quire. Foliation in Arabic medieval numerals 1-62 in top right corner of folios.
Note
Page preparation: ruled in ink, including outer margins of textblock only: no individual lines. No pricking visible.Secundo folio: titudinis.
Note
Mise-en-page: single columns (45-52 lines) written in a set script above top line. Rubrics. Red and blue paragraph marks.
Note
Decoration: pink decorated initials (6-14 lines) on blue background with white details with foliage infills in red, yellow, and green; three inhabited initials portraying Vitruvius (f. 1r) Hercules (f. 7v) and a bird (f. 46v). Simple decorated initials (4 lines) in blue with red pen flourishes and vice versa. The first two words of each book are executed in a larger script, usually the size of two lines.
Note
Handwriting: southern littera textualis; at least two scribes. Size of script (and therefore the number of lines) varies.
Note
Abbreviation and punctuation: Tironian nota with crossbar. Puncti, puncti elevati, virgulae suspensivae.
Note
Correction: little to none. Bembo has added missing text at f. 20v.
Note
Marginalia, later additions: much marginalia in different hands throughout. One is Bernardo Bembo's, who added signposts, notes, curly brackets and maniculae throughout. Another one is a humanistic hand that annotated ECL MS 135 too but remains an unidentified annotator -- they add notes (some in Greek), and signposts in capital letters (e.g. compare f.13v with ECL MS 135, f. 114r).
Formatted contents note
Contents: ff.1r-63r: De architectura.
Citation/references note
N.R. Ker, Medieval manuscripts in British Libraries, v. 2 (1977) p. 758
Citation/references note
M.R. James, A descriptive catalogue of the manuscripts in the library of Eton College (1895), p. 65
Citation/references note
Bernard, Catalogi librorum manuscriptorum Angliae et Hiberniae, 1697, 125
Citation/references note
N. Giannetto, Bernardo Bembo: umanista e politico veneziano (Florence, 1985), pp. 301-303
Citation/references note
C. H. Krinsky, "Seventy-eight Vitruvius manuscripts", Journal of Warbug and Courtauld Institutes 30 (1967), pp. 36-70
Citation/references note
J.P. Chausserie-Laprée, "Un nuveau stemma vitruvien" in Revue des etudes latines 47 (1969), pp. 347-377
Cite as
Eton College Library, MS 137
Additional physical form available
Reproduction available; Bodleian Library; Eton College Library should be contacted for permission to reproduce; SFW 1240
Provenance
Origin: Italy.
Provenance
Provenance: (from Ker) "A long inscription by Bernardo Bembo on f. iii shows that this book was acquired by him at the auction of Jacopo Langusci in 1453 and that it went astray [20 years] later and was returned by him by Luigi Regii's son in 1493". Follows a transcription (also in Giannetto). On f.ii verso appears the name "Ludovici Rigii Cornarii" (i.e. Ludovico Corner, son of Alvise Corner) -- it is likely he stole the codex for himself and rubbed off Bernardo's name (see Giannetto). It was very likely brought to Eton by Sir Henry Wotton, who acquired part of Bembo's library when it was sold in Venice during one of his stays. Former ECL shelfmark: Bl.4.10.
Binding
18th-century calfskin over pasteboards by John Slatter, c.1715. Covers decorated with blind double fillers to form a border; blind roll to form a panel in the centre of the board with blind tools at its outer corners; gilt roll on board edges. Spine rebacked with five raised bands, decorated with blind fillets and gilt titling over red morocco label ("Vitru|vius"). Endleaves of modern paper and pre-modern membrane (f.ii is an original pastedown). 20th-century repairs done by R. L. Day.
Subject
Vitruvius Pollio De architectura
Subject
Architecture Manuscripts.
Subject
Architecture, Roman Manuscripts.
Added entry--name
Bembo, Bernardo, 1433 - 1519 former owner.
Added entry--name
Wotton, Henry (), 1568 - 1639 Sir former owner.
Added entry--name
Languschi, Jacopo, ? - 1464 former owner.
Added entry--name
Added entry--name
Day, R. L. binder.
Added entry--place
Italy.
Language code
lat
Identifier
B50099