Commissioned by the King of Naples: the only consistently rich and magnificently illuminated codex of Dante's Divine Comedy
Divine Comedy of Alfonso of Aragon
Probably Siena - Tuscany (Italy) — 1444–1450

Divine Comedy of Alfonso of Aragon
Probably Siena - Tuscany (Italy) — 1444–1450
The masterpiece of Dante Alighieri (circa 1265–1321), one of the greatest poets of all time
Lorenzo di Pietro and Giovanni di Paolo designed the costly work at the behest of King Alfonso of Naples (1396–1458)
Nearly all of the 100 masterful, haunting miniatures are encompassed in an opulent gold frame

Divine Comedy by Alfonso of Aragon
Departing on a Sea Voyage
This is a spectacular historiated initial showing a sailing ship within the loop of the “P” and its burnished gold background reminds us that this journey does not take place in the world of the living. Dante refers to ships throughout his famous magnum opus and often compares his spiritual journey to a sea voyage. Furthermore, there are two ships in the story: a ferry manned by Charon taking the damned across the river Acheron and a shipload of Christian souls being escorted by an angel.
Divine Comedy of Alfonso of Aragon
- La Divina Commedia di Alfonso d'Aragona
- Die Göttliche Komödie des Alfons von Aragon
Short Description
The Divine Comedy of Alfonso of Aragon was manufactured in Italy between 1442 and 1450 and is the only codex in which all three cantos of the famous poem by Dante Alighieri are downright lavishly illustrated. Two famous illuminators, Lorenzo di Pietro and Giovanni di Paolo, designed the costly work at the behest of King Alfonso, called the Great, of Naples. The splendid codex is illustrated with over 100 impressive miniatures in golden frames, as well as numerous elaborate initials.
Divine Comedy of Alfonso of Aragon
In the mid–15th century, Alfonso of Aragon, King of Naples commissioned an illustrated codex that is counted today among the most beautiful and elaborate manuscripts of the Italian Renaissance. The outstanding codex is a richly decorated edition of the famous Divine Comedy by arguably the greatest Italian poet, Dante Alighieri. The pages of the work are adorned with more than 100 splendid miniatures and countless unusually designed initials. This manuscript is the only codex worldwide, in which all three cantos of the famous poem are downright lavishly illustrated.
A Masterful Collaboration
Two different artists are responsible for the exceptional illustration of the precious manuscript. Both were famous and trendsetting masters of the Italy’s Sienese school. Lorenzo di Pietro the Elder transformed Dante’s thrilling descriptions of Inferno and Hell in breathtaking, terrifying visual scenes. The artist made all the historiated initials likewise. The second artist participating was Giovanni di Paolo, who masterfully illustrated the spiritual descriptions of Paradise. His dreamy image scenes transplants their beholder into the conceptual world of the great poet Dante in a fabulous, surreal way. Both of the picture cycles stand in stark contrast to one another. Di Pietro’s dramatic terrifying images confront di Paolo’s beguiling, Tuscan-inspired landscapes.
Royal Composition
Alfonso the Great was, like all great Renaissance princes, an enthusiastic lover of arts and a book collector. No conceivable luxury was too expensive for his personal edition of the Divine Comedy. Nearly each of the haunting miniatures of the work is encompassed in an opulent gold frame. The costly, superimposed gold elements provide the special luminousness of the pictures, in particular the depiction of the heavens, in the scenes. The text of the manuscript was composed in an elegant, razor-sharp script ordered by gorgeous initials. With its enchanting illustrations and clearly legible script, the precious codex is also a true literary delight for modern readers as well.
Codicology
- Alternative Titles
- La Divina Commedia di Alfonso d'Aragona
Die Göttliche Komödie des Alfons von Aragon - Size / Format
- 396 pages / 36.5 × 25.8 cm
- Date
- 1444–1450
- Epochs
- Style
- Genre
- Language
- Illustrations
- Over 100 splendid miniatures
- Artist / School
- Author: Dante Alighieri (1265–1321)
Miniaturists: Lorenzo di Pietro ("The Vecchietta") and Giovanni di Paolo - Previous Owners
- Henry Yates Thompson (1838–1928)

Divine Comedy of Alfonso of Aragon
Dante and Virgil
In a dark wood, Dante meets Virgil, his guide through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. The beginning of this epic tale is depicted in the historiated “N” initial at hand, which is rendered in sumptuous gold leaf with tendrils of blue, green, and red. They are surrounded by four half-length figures in medallions representing Justice, Power, Peace and Temperance.
Dante is dressed in royal blue, Virgil in a radiant shade of magenta, both of whom are contrasted wonderfully by the deep green of the woods behind them. The coat of arms of this manuscript’s patron, King Alfonso V of Aragon, Naples, and Sicily, is depicted at the bottom of the page in a gold leaf barbed quatrefoil embossed with a diamond pattern.
1 available facsimile edition(s) of „Divine Comedy of Alfonso of Aragon“
La Divina Commedia di Alfonso d'Aragona
- Publisher
- Franco Cosimo Panini Editore – Modena, 2006
- Limited Edition
- 750 copies
- Binding
- Silk velvet over wood boards and featuring decorations, gilded silver and enamel work.
- Commentary
-
1 volume (340 pages) by Luca Azzetta, Milvia Bollati, Peter Kidd, Marco Petoletti and GennaroToscano
Language: Italian - More Information
- Reproduction of the entire original document as detailed as possible (scope, format, colors). The binding may not correspond to the original or current document binding.
Matching Works
Rhyme of the Conquest of Granada
A gift for the Catholic Monarchs: a historiographical poem on the Reconquista by Pedro Marcuello
Experience MoreLes Amours de Réné d'Anjou
Written and probably illuminated by the hand of a king: the allegorical love story of a ruler
Experience MoreMatching Background Articles
Literature
Much like today, medieval readers were looking for stories full of excitement and adventure that would take them out of...Experience moreRenaissance
What does the word “Renaissance” bring to mind for you? Art, science, and culture of course! It was a "rebirth" and...Experience more15th Century
Come and explore an age of stark contrasts as Europe comes back from the brink: calamities like the Fall of...Experience more
- Treatises / Secular Books
- Apocalypses / Beatus
- Astronomy / Astrology
- Bestiaries
- Bibles / Gospels
- Chronicles / History / Law
- Geography / Maps
- Saints' Lives
- Islam / Oriental
- Judaism / Hebrew
- Single Leaf Collections
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Literature / Poetry
- Liturgical Manuscripts
- Medicine / Botany / Alchemy
- Music
- Mythology / Prophecies
- Psalters
- Other Religious Books
- Games / Hunting
- Private Devotion Books
- Other Genres
- Aboca Museum
- Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA)
- Aldo Ausilio Editore - Bottega d’Erasmo
- Alecto Historical Editions
- Ars Magna
- ArtCodex
- AyN Ediciones
- Bärenreiter-Verlag
- Belser Verlag
- Belser Verlag / WK Wertkontor
- Bernardinum Wydawnictwo
- BiblioGemma
- Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana (Vaticanstadt, Vaticanstadt)
- Bibliotheca Palatina Faksimile Verlag
- Bibliotheca Rara
- CAPSA, Ars Scriptoria
- Circulo Cientifico
- Club Bibliófilo Versol
- CM Editores
- Collezione Apocrifa Da Vinci
- Comissão Nacional para as Comemorações dos Descobrimentos Portugueses
- Coron Verlag
- De Agostini/UTET
- DIAMM
- E. Schreiber Graphische Kunstanstalten
- Ediciones Boreal
- Ediciones Grial
- Edilan
- Editalia
- Edition Leipzig
- Edition Libri Illustri
- Editiones Reales Sitios S. L.
- Editions Medicina Rara
- Editorial Mintzoa
- Egeria, S.L.
- Extraordinary Editions
- Facsimile Editions Ltd.
- Facsimilia Art & Edition Ebert KG
- Faksimile Verlag
- Franco Cosimo Panini Editore
- Fundación Hullera Vasco-Leonesa
- Giunti Editore
- Graffiti
- Grafica European Center of Fine Arts
- Helikon
- Herder Verlag
- Hes & De Graaf Publishers
- Hugo Schmidt Verlag
- Idion Verlag
- Il Bulino, edizioni d'arte
- Imago
- Insel Verlag
- Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana - Treccani
- Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato
- Kaydeda Ediciones
- La Meta Editore
- Leo S. Olschki
- Libreria Musicale Italiana
- Lumen Artis
- M. Moleiro Editor
- Manuscriptum
- Millennium Liber
- Nova Charta
- Orbis Mediaevalis
- Orbis Pictus
- Österreichische Staatsdruckerei
- Patrimonio Ediciones
- PIAF
- Popyläen Verlag
- Prestel Verlag
- Priuli & Verlucca, editori
- Pro Sport Verlag
- Pytheas Books
- Quaternio Verlag Luzern
- Reales Sitios
- Reichert Verlag
- Roberto Vattori Editore
- Salerno Editrice
- Schöck ArtPrint Kft.
- Scrinium
- Scripta Maneant
- Scriptorium
- Siloé, arte y bibliofilia
- Styria Verlag
- Tempus Libri
- Testimonio Compañía Editorial
- The Clear Vue Publishing Partnership Limited
- The Facsimile Codex
- The Folio Society
- Tip.Le.Co
- TouchArt
- Trident Editore
- Vallecchi
- Van Wijnen
- Vicent Garcia Editores
- Wiener Mechitharisten-Congregation (Wien, Österreich)
- Yushodo