Divine Comedy Egerton 943

Dante Alighieri (ca. 1265–1321) is considered to be the father of the Italian language and his Divina Commedia is not only considered to be the preeminent work of Italian literature but also the most important poem of the Middle Ages. In it, he travels through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise as he is guided by the Roman poet Virgil (70–21 BC). During his allegorical journey, he comes into contact with many prominent historical figures. The work has since influenced countless of other authors and is one of the most referenced pieces of literature in the Western literary tradition.

An Early Dante Masterpiece

The early–14th century specimen from Padua that we have before us today is one of the oldest and most beautiful editions of Dante’s work, and in fact predates the application of the term “Divine” to the title, which first appeared in 1555. It features 253 miniatures in red frames in addition to historiated initials and diagrams of heaven, hell, and Earth. The lovely colors of the illustrations are further elevated through the use of shimmering gold and silver. This artistic program has been ascribed to the Master of the Antiphonary of Padua and is supposed to directly aid the reader in comprehending the text, part of a tradition that has come to be known as “Dante Illustrato”. No patron has ever been determined. Every page features either 16 tercets (three lined poems) or 12–13 tercets with a miniature. The influence of the Trecento and the Bolognese school in particular are evident in the decorative grounds and the tendency of the figures to exceed their frames. Figure are often facing away from the reader, giving the impression that the miniature is only a window into a larger scene. The miniatures possess a nascent three-dimensionality, adding to the narrative realism of the manuscript. All of this is housed in a 17th century binding of red leather with gold tooling.