[Compendium historiae] ... [etc.]

Format:

Book

Manuscript

Author/Creator:

Peter, of Poitiers, approximately 1130-1205, author.

Contributor:

Cánovas del Castillo, Antonio, 1828-1897, former owner.

Ricketts, C. L. (Coella Lindsay), 1859-1941, former owner.

Language:

Latin

Spanish

Subjects (All):

Jesus Christ--Genealogy--Early works to 1800.

Jesus Christ.

Theology--Pictorial works--Early works to 1800.

Theology.

Didactic literature, Latin (Medieval and modern).

Genre:

codices (bound manuscripts)

diagrams

genealogies (histories)

Manuscripts, Latin -- 14th century.

Manuscripts, Spanish -- 14th century.

Manuscripts, Medieval.

Penn Provenance:

Formerly owned by Spanish politician and historian Antonio Cánovas del Castillo (armorial bookplate, Biblioteca de Don A.Cánovas del Castillo, front flyleaf verso), 19th century.

Formerly owned by Chicago calligrapher and illuminator C. L. Ricketts (McKittrick), 20th century.

Sold by Bruce McKittrick Rare Books (Narberth, Pennsylvania), 2024.

Physical Description:

20 leaves : parchment ; 278 x 198 (240 x 160) mm bound to 280 x 205 mm.

Place of Publication:

[Spain], [circa 1350]

Language Note:

Latin, with a note to the illuminator in Spanish (f. 13v).

Summary:

Manuscript volume containing a 14th-century copy of the 12th-century pedagogical text Compendium historiae in genelogia Christi by French theologian Peter of Poitiers, presented as 3 pages of text integrated with diagrams (f. 1r-2r), followed by 16 pages of diagrams on verso facing text on recto (f. 2v-10r, with a small amount of text continuing onto f. 10v); and 14 full-page pedagogical diagrams of theological concepts (f. 13v-20v, with one page of text on f. 19r about the complex Turris sapientiae diagram on f. 18v), most found elsewhere among the diagrams collected under the title Speculum theologiae.

Contents:

1. f.1r-10v: [Compendium historiae / Peter of Poitiers]

2. f.10v-11r: [Lists of priests, judges, kings, and prophets]

3. f.11v-12r: [Six ages of the world (Etymologiae 5:38-39) / Isidore of Seville]

4. f.13v-20v: [Speculum theologiae diagrams]

Notes:

Ms. codex.

Title of manuscript from supplied title of first work.

Collation: Parchment, i (17th-century paper) + 20 + i (17th-century paper); 1¹² 2⁸; [1-20], modern foliation in pencil, upper right recto. Link to collation model at end of record.

Layout: Text pages written in 2 columns of 40-45 rows.

Script: Written in Gothic hybrid script.

Decoration:11 leaves of genealogical diagrams in red ink with men’s names in black and women’s in red (Adam to Noah, with 2 additional diagrams of Noah's ark, f. 1r; Shem to Isaac, f. 1v; Jacob to Judas, f. 2r; Phares to Naason, with 2 additional diagrams of the Stations of the Exodus and the arrangement of the Twelve Tribes of Israel and the Levites around the Temple, f. 2v; Salmon to King Solomon, f. 3v; Roboam to Ochozias, with parallel series of pontifices and kings, f. 4v; Athalia to Joacham, with parallel series of pontifices and kings, f. 5v; Jechonias to Elyud, f. 6v; Eliachim to Eliud, with an additional diagram of the city of Jerusalem and parallel series of pontifices and kings, f. 7v; Eleazar to Joseph, with parallel series of Roman emperors, f. 8v; life of Jesus with parallel genealogies of Mary and the apostles, f. 9v); 14 full-page theological diagrams with rubrication in red ink (diagram of patriarchs and prophets, with sketch of the crucified Jesus, f. 13v; Seven Works of the Passion, diagram of seven Torments of Christ, canonical hours, and strumenta recordationis, with sketch of crucified Jesus emerging from the tomb, f. 14r; diagram of twelve Articles of Faith, prophets, and apostles, f. 14v; tree diagram of seven Articles of Divinity, cardinal virtues, sacraments, and Acts of Mercy, f. 15r; Ten Commandments, tree diagram with the ten commandments and the ten plagues of Egypt, f. 15v; tree diagram of virtues, f. 16r; Arbor viciorum (Tree of vices), foliate tree diagram of vices, f. 16v; Arbor virtutum (Tree of virtues), foliate tree diagram of virtues, f. 17r; Wheel of Sevens, wheel diagram of seven sacraments, Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Arms of Justice, Acts of Mercy, virtues, and sins, f. 17v; Rota pugne moralis (Wheel of moral struggle), wheel diagram of vices, virtues, and stages of life, with a sketch of an animal head, f. 18r; Turris sapientiae (Tower of wisdom), architectural diagram of virtues, commandments, and Acts of Mercy, f. 18v; tree diagram of eight heavenly rewards, Beatitudes, and orders of angels, f. 19v; Arbor sapientiae (Tree of wisdom), tree diagram of eight ages of man and seven liberal arts and philosophy, f. 20r; tree diagram of twelve virtues, gemstones of Aaron’s breastplate, and sons of Jacob, not found in other Speculum theologiae manuscripts (McKittrick), f. 20v); initials, paragraph marks, and rubrication in red throughout.

Binding: Early 17th-century limp vellum (McKittrick) with geometric ruling in ink on covers and two pairs of ties on the fore edge

Origin: Written in Spain, circa 1350 (McKittrick).

Cited as:

Peter of Poitiers, Compendium historiae (Oversize Ms. Codex 2243). Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania.

OCLC:

1490986840

Online:

Collation model