Cristoforo Buondelmonti, Liber Insularum Archipelagi, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum

(1) Illuminated in France, perhaps for the royal library or for someone in the immediate circle of the French humanists gathering texts on Greece and Greek culture for the library of François I at Fontainebleau and elsewhere (see below).

(2) Perhaps Michael Wodhull (1740-1816), collector of classical and renaissance books, who was forced to sell a number of items in the early nineteenth century to meet debts, and in doing so cut off his name from the outer corner of the flyleaves, as here.

(3) Sir Thomas Phillipps (1792-1872), his MS.4473, one of five books bought c.1825 from the bookseller, George Arthur Williams, 393 High Street, Cheltenham; Phillipps sale in these rooms, 28 November 1973, lot 613, with colour plate; acquired at that time by the present owner.

P. Durrieu, ‘Les manuscrits à peintures de la bibliothèque de Sir Thomas Phillipps à Cheltenham’, Bibliothèque de l’Ecole des Chartes, L, 1889, p.420.

P.O. Kristeller, Iter Italicum, Accedunt Alia Itinera, V, 1990, p.462,

M. Pelletier, ed., Couleurs de la terre, Des mappemondes médiévales aux images satellitales, 1998, p.170, no.36, and pl. on p.59.

text

This is a spectacular and luxurious illuminated manuscript of the greatest text of the late Middle Ages on the Greek islands, and is the most important source for the geography of the eastern Mediterranean before the fall of Constantinople to the Muslims.  It was the first great travel book of the renaissance.  Cristoforo Buondelmonti was a member of a distinguished Florentine family.   He was encouraged in the study of his Greek by  Niccolò Niccoli, and he spent eight years in Rhodes, learning the language and another six years travelling in the Archipelago.   He is known to have been in Crete in 1415-18 and in Andros in 1419.  His account of the Ionian islands was completed in Italy in 1420 and was dedicated to Cardinal Giordano Orsini (d.1439).   The author begins with the northernmost of the Ionian islands, then works round the south-west corner of the Peloponnese to Crete, thence to the Cyclades, and northwards via Samothrace and Thasos to Mount Athos, and from there southwards to the Sporades, ending with Eubea and Aegina.

However, the present version is not simply a late copy of a travel guide.   It is a celebration of Greek culture in the French renaissance.   The text has been edited, perhaps uniquely, to include interspersed quotations, principally from Pliny, Homer (in Latin), Virgil, Solinus and Strabo’s De situ orbis, etc., giving additional literary and classical references to the islands and places described.   They include a 6-line Latin poem on fol.74r by Janus Pannonius (1434-1472), Hungarian humanist, on the fall of Constantinople, “Concidit antique bisancion emula rome …”.   That event, in 1453, transformed the renaissance by bringing Greek literature into the libraries of the humanists.   A passion for this lost Greek civilisation reached France in the 1520s and 30s, and by the late 1530s François I set about creating a library of Greek texts for Fontainebleau, which he began remodelling in 1528.   Many came from Venice.  “Older codices could be obtained through the Republic’s colonies on the Greek mainland and the Archipelago, and modern copies were supplied by the scribes from the refugee colony grouped round the church of S. Giorgio dei Greci” (A.R.A. Hobson, Humanists and Bookbinders, 1989, p.179).   It must be for that new and nostalgic interest in the lost Greek Mediterranean and its sources of culture that the present text was edited and brought up to date.

The manuscript begins with the dedication to Cardinal Orsini, “Constitui pater Reverendissime …”, continuing “Restat nunc pater generales demonstrare …” (fol.1v) and “Insula hec que prius ostenditur …” (fol.2v), all ending on fol.83v, “… cum salute cepit”, followed (for the leaf is misbound) by the author’s colophon on fol.82r, “Cristophorus ego ensenium … hunc librum animum tuum possis iocumdare”.  It concludes with a list of provinces of the Roman empire, beginning “[A]sie magne provincie note sunt …”, ending “… Creta insula”. 

The text of Buondelmonti is known in approximately 64 manuscripts and fragments, of varying dates.   At least eight are without maps of any kind; one (Venice, Marciana ms.ital.IV.149) has maps but no text.   Most are in Italian public libraries.   Only three appear to be in North America; and none at all in Greece or the Greek islands.  Probably no more than four or five remain in private hands, including Holkham Hall MS.475; a copy illustrated in C. de Hamel, The Book, A History of the Bible, 2001, pl.30 on p.49; and the copies on paper sold in our rooms, 19 June 1979, lot 61, and 10 December 1996, lot 62, both now untraced.   For the text and its manuscripts, cf. E. Legrand, Description des îles de l’Archipel Grec par Christophe Buondelmonti, 1897; A. Campana, ‘Da codici del Buondelmonti’, Studi Bizantini e Neoellenici, IX, 1957; R. Weiss, ‘Un umanista antiquario: Cristoforo Buondelmonti’, Lettre Italiane, XVI, 1964; K.A. de Meyier, ‘Un manuscrit du Liber Insularum Archipelagi de Christophe Buondelmonti à Leyde’, Scriptorium, XXV, 1971, pp.300-3; H.L. Turner, ‘Christopher Buondelmonti and the Isolario’, Terrae Incognitae, XIX, 1987, pp.11-28; Bertalot, Initia Humanistica Latina, II, I, 1990, no.2609.

illumination

These are not simple maps but often bird’s eye views of landscapes, with hills and contours shown, with rivers, plains and little vignettes of towns and monasteries.   Some are clearly fanciful and symbolic.   Others reflect some experience of Greek buildings, domes and walled enclosures.   They have been consciously updated since the text began its journey in the 1420s, and the view of Istanbul shows the city after the Turkish conquest, with the Seraglio at the tip of the peninsula.

Illuminated maps formed an important part of renaissance book culture.  Luxury copies of Ptolemy’s classical atlas were prepared by Niccolò Germano and others, and remained in use through the sixteenth century.   The French reception of humanism included a delight in ancient cartography, of which an early example is the map in the king’s copy of the Commentaires de la guerre gallique of 1519-20 (B.L. Harley MS. 6205; M. Orth in Renaissance Painting in Manuscripts, ed. T. Kren, 1983, p.185, fig.24e).   The illuminator here must be compared with the painters of another class of French neo-classical texts of the renaissance, the Descriptions des Douzes Cesars, commonly attributed to Jean Bourdichon in the 1520s.   One was sold in our rooms, 7 December 1992, lot 41, now in the Comites Latentes library in Geneva.   They show the same deep almost mauve blue, palest green and utter attention to detail.

The subjects are:

1. Folio 3v, ‘Corcira’, Corfu, full-page, 219mm. by 146mm., with part of the mainland; 11 town views, including Corfu itself enclosed within its medieval walls; names in gold.

2. Folio 4r, ‘Pachiso’, Pachysos, 76mm. by 110mm., with a town in the mountains; name in gold.

3. Folio 5v, Levkas, full-page, 176mm. by 143mm., linked by a fortified bridge to the mainland; several towns shown and a forest and fertile plateau in the hills; name in gold.

4. Folio 6v, Ithaca, 63mm. by 138mm., three towns shown; names in gold.

5. Folio 8r, Cephalonia, three-quarter page, 122mm. by 116mm., many towns, two churches, a windmill, a city at Sanctus Georgius and two harbours, Samo and Scardus; names in gold.

6. Folio 9v, ‘Zacynthus’, Zante, three-quarter page, 167mm. by 144mm., two harbours, churches, a bridge across a river, etc.; names in gold.

7. Folio 10v, The Strophades, 47mm. by 110mm.; a castle in the centre of the island.

8. Folio 11v, ‘Peloponesus sive Morea Pars’, the south-western part of the Peloponnese, full-page, 160mm. by 111mm., with the towns of Koroni, Methon, and Porto Vicho, and the little islands of ‘San veneto’ (Augo), ‘Caprac’ (Skhiza) and ‘Sapi[enz]a pora’, all with their names in gold.

9. Folio 12v, ‘Kituria’, Cythera, half-page, 93mm. by 78mm., including two sites with classical ruins, one described as the temple where Helen of Troy was seized.

10. Folio 13v, Anticythera, 110mm. by 78mm., with classical ruins but no modern towns.

11. Folio 29v, ‘Creta insula sive Candia’, Crete, full-page, 249mm. by 158mm., several dozen towns depicted, churches, castles, the labyrinth, the tomb of Jupiter, plains, woods, orchards, etc., with very many names in gold.

12. Folio 31r, Karpathos, 83mm. by 106mm., two monasteries, several towns and many classical ruins.

13. Folio 33v, ‘Rodo’, Rhodes, full-page, 210mm. by 117mm., many towns and tower, three windmills including two on the island in the harbour of Rhodes itself, a leper house, the river Gradira, etc.; 11 names in gold.

14. Folio 34r, ‘Simie’, Simi, 98mm. by 152mm., the monastery of St.Nicholas, the town of Simi, and an area of ruins; the Turkish coast to the north; names in gold.

15. Folio 34v, Khalki, 78mm. by 113mm., with a fortified city; names in gold.

16. Folio 35r, Tilos, 72mm. by 116mm., with four towns.

17. Folio 36r, Nisiros, half-page, 97mm. by 121mm., with five towns including the harbour at Mandraki, a volcano erupting (it is now extinct), and a cold spring.

18. Folio 36v, ‘Stimpalea’, Astipalaia, half-page, 100mm. by 123mm., with a castle at Astipalai, ruins at Analipsi, a a monastery at Agios Kostandinos, here called ‘S. Johannes’; names in gold.

19. Folio 37v, ‘Sarali’, Santorini, half-page, 93mm. by 118mm., with the town of Santorini, classical ruins, and the islands of Nea Kameni, Thirasia and Aspronisi; names in gold.

20. Folio 38r, Sykinos, 66mm. by 110mm., with ancient ruins only.

21. Folio 38v, Pholaegandros, 60mm. by 110mm., with ruins only.

22. Folio 38v, Polimios, 67mm. by 108mm., with two ancient sites.

23. Folio 39v, Milos, half-page, 117mm. by 133mm., with Adamas (‘Apano Castro’), ‘Turris episcopi’, offshore islands including Kimolos; names in gold.

24. Folio 40v, Sifnos, half-page, 115mm. by 120mm., with a central tower (‘Turis exambeles’) beside a lake, a town and ancient ruins; names in gold.

25. Folio 41v, ‘Serphinus’. Serifos, 81mm. by 117mm., with plains among the mountains; names in gold.

26. Folio 42r, ‘Thermia’, Kinthos, 114mm. by 118mm., mountainous, with its thermal springs; names in gold.

27. Folio 43r, Kea, half-page, 109mm. by 116mm.; names in gold.

28. Folio 44r, Andros, 81mm. by 177mm.; names in gold.

29. Folio 44v, ‘Caboreius’, Yioura, 59mm. by 116mm., a plateau on top of high cliffs.

30. Folio 45r, ‘Tino’, Tinos, 76mm. by 115mm., with towers and ancient ruins; names in gold.

31. Folio 45v, Mikonos, 92mm. by 115mm., including a port of Saint John; names in gold.

32. Folio 48v, Delos, half-page, 118mm. by 115mm., in two islands with ruins and the broken statue of Apollo lying among fallen classical pillars on the eastern island; names in gold.

33. Folio 49r, ‘Suda’, Syra, half-page, 111mm. by 115mm., mostly mountains, with one town; names in gold.

34. Folio 50r, Paros, half-page, 117mm. by 130mm., with ‘Lagossa’, the castle of Paros, and an area of Minoan ruins; names in gold.

35. Folio 50v, ‘Antiparos’, 66mm. by 116mm., high cliffs rising from the sea.

36. Folio 51r, ‘Panara ve Parara’, perhaps Despotiko, 67mm. by 117mm., also on high cliffs.

37. Folio 52v, ‘Naxos insula’, half-page, 113mm. by 119mm., including a monastery, fertile woodlands and salt works.

38. Folio 53r, ‘Podia’ and ‘Radea’, 61mm. by 116mm., with ancient ruins.

39. Folio 53r, ‘Nio’ and ‘Chio’, actually Iraklia and Karos, 55mm. by 114mm., unpopulated.

40. Folio 53v, ‘Nio’, Ios, 53mm. by 116mm., with a castle and a church; names in gold.

41. Folio 54r, ‘Anaphos insula’, 82mm. by 117mm., with a castle, ruins, and a note that no poisonous snakes live on Anaphos; names in gold.

42. Folio 54v, ‘Buxora insula’, Amorgos, 47mm. by 116mm.; one name in gold.

43. Folio 54v, ‘Chimera’ and ‘Lenata’ (for ‘Levata’), Kinaros and Levinthos, 61mm. by 116mm., with ruins only.

44. Folio 55r, ‘Caloierus seu Scopulus Caloerum’, 63mm. by 120mm., with a monastery with a walled garden and a crane for hoisting boats up the cliff.

45. Folio 57r, ‘Coa insula’, Cos, three-quarter page, 146mm. by 117mm., with a fortified town, areas of ancient ruins west of Agios Fokas and east of Fokas (‘Castrum olim’), with part of the Turkish mainland, including Budrun and ‘Turis turcorum’; names in gold.

46. Folio 58r, Kalimnos, half-page, 105mm. by 113mm., including ruins and an ancient spring; names in gold.

47. Folio 58v, ‘Hero’, Leros, 69mm. by 117mm., mostly ruins and a hill-top tower; names in gold.

48. Folio 59r, Patmos, 86mm. by 119mm., with the monastery of Saint John and a grassy valley in the hills where, it says, Saint John wrote the Apocalypse; names in gold.

49. Folio 59r, ‘Dipsi insula’, Lipsos, 41mm. by 118mm., uninhabited.

50. Folio 59v, ‘Crusie insula’, 79mm. by 118mm., with ancient ruins only.

51. Folio 60r, Icharia, 66mm. by 117mm., with three castles; names in gold.

52. Folio 60v, ‘Mandria’, 51mm. by 116mm., uninhabited.

53. Folio 61r, ‘Agatusa’ and ‘Formacus’, 76mm. by 119mm., uninhabited.

54. Folio 62r, Samos, 59mm. by 114mm., with high mountains, ruins, and a well at ‘Mons Madalensis’.

55. Folio 63r, Fournoi, 89mm. by 117mm., five small islands.

56. Folio 63r, ‘Tenosa’, 79mm. by 115mm., with hilltop ruins.

57. Folio 63v, Psara, 70mm. by 117mm., with ruins in a mountain valley.

58. Folio 65v, Chios, full-page, 188mm. by 133mm., with many towns and sites, including Homer’s grave, a big city at Chios, the island of Inousses at the top right, and a harbour ‘Portus amistia sive S. nastagia’ at the site of Agia Dinami at the lower left; many names in gold.

59. Folio 67v, Lesbos, three-quarter page, 126mm. by 125mm., with many towns and the mainland on three sides.

60. Folio 68v, Tenedos, full-page, 180mm. by 126mm., with the fallen ruins of the great city of Troy facing it on the Turkish mainland, and a single remaining castle, called ‘Dardanelum’.

61. Folio 70r, the Dardanelles and Gallipoli, full-page, 190mm. by 150mm., marking the site where Xerxes built a bridge, a court house, the fortified city of Gallipoli, the land of the Turks, and a row of five windmills (representing more than 50, according to the caption); names in gold.

62. Folio 70v, ‘Marmora’, Prinkipo, 64mm. by 120mm., with a classical structure built out into the sea.

63. Folio 71r, ‘Calonimo insula’, 75mm. by 110mm., with a single castle in the hills.

64. Folio 71v, ‘Scopuli’, 59mm. by 110mm., small island in the Sea of Marmora, each with a monastery.

65. Folio 74v, Constantinople, full-page, 198mm. by 155mm., an extraordinarily detailed view of the vast late medieval city, with its streets, churches, monuments and walls, including the Seraglio, the Hagia Sophia, etc., and the cemeteries at Pera across the Bosphoros.

66. Folio 75v, Lemnos, 87mm. by 111mm., including a castle at ‘Scala’, presumably Kalithea, and ruins near ‘paleo castro’, Kaspakas.

67. Folio 75v, Imbros, 50mm. by 110mm., with a single town.

68. Folio 76r, ‘Madrachi’, Samothrace, 49mm. by 111mm., one town.

69. Folio 76r, ‘Taxus’, Thasos, 61mm. by 111mm., three towns.

70. Folio 77v, ‘Achos Mons seu seu [sic] sanctus’, Mount Athos, 85mm. by 120mm., with four large monasteries, two of them named, Vatopedi and Great Lavra.

71. Folio 77v, ‘Saustrati’, Ayios Evstratios, 57mm. by 110mm., with one town at the western tip.

72. Folio 78r, ‘Limen insula’, 56mm. by 118mm., with one town.

73. Folio 78r, ‘Dronius insula’, Dromos, 70mm. by 116mm., with a single town.

74. Folio 78v, apparently Makronisi, 68mm. by 117mm., a town but no captions.

75. Folio 79r, ‘Sciati’ and ‘Scopuli’, kiathos and Skopelos, three-quarter page, 132mm. by 109mm.

76. Folio 79v, ‘S. Elias Scopulus’, 58mm. by 110mm., a monastery on a cliff-top island.

77. Folio 80r, ‘Schiros insula’, Skiros, 69mm. by 120mm., with five towns or monasteries.

78. Folio 82r, ‘Egina insula’, Aegina, 69mm. by 117mm., with one monastery.

79. Folio 83r, ‘Euboea’, full-page, 212mm. by 125mm., with the bridge ‘Nigroponte’ between Khalkis and the mainland, which is described here as the duchy of the Athenians, with both Athens and Thebes shown as ancient ruins.