Divine Comedy of Alfonso of Aragon

In the mid-15th century, Alfonso V of Aragon, King of Naples (1396–1458) 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 (1265–1321). The pages of the work are adorned with 110 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. Priamo della Quercia (ca. 1400–67) 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 (ca. 1403–82), 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. Della Quercia’s dramatic terrifying images confront di Paolo’s beguiling, Tuscan-inspired landscapes.

Royal Composition

Alfonso the Magnanimous 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.