Paduan Bible Picture Book

Paduan Bible Picture Book

This unique and precious gem of Italian illumination was created ca. 1400 in Padua, probably at the behest of Francesco Novello da Carrara (1359–1406), who ruled as Lord of Padua beginning in 1388. The wealth and sophistication of the patron are expressed by this masterfully designed and executed picture Bible containing the Old Testament books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Joshua. 529 masterful miniatures, usually arranged four or sometimes three to a page, including 5 full-page miniatures represent the quality of art produced in Northern Italy during in the late 14th century. It is the only picture Bible in the Italian language, and its style and layout are unique among Italian manuscripts, making it one of the most prized possessions of the British Library.

A Treasure from Padua

Located in Veneto to the west of Venice, Padua is one of the oldest cities in Italy and one of its most historically and culturally significant. It was supposedly found ca. 1183 BC by the Trojan prince Antenor, is home to the fifth-oldest surviving university founded in 1222, and became a center of humanism and the Renaissance as it was the site of discoveries of numerous artifacts from antiquity. The Carraresi family became lords of the city in 1318 and nine members of the family ruled over it. Francesco Novello’s reign represented the end of its status as an independent city state when Padua was defeated in 1405 and became part of the Republic of Venice until the end of the 18th century. This manuscript is one of the last specimens from an independent Padua and is the product of the Maestri della Bibbia istoriata Padovana or “Masters of the Paduan Historiated Bible”, a workshop closely associated with and patronized by the powerful Carraresi family

Artistic and Literary Influences

The Paduan Bible Picture Book represents the threshold between the late Gothic and early Renaissance styles and exhibits influences from various artists. First and foremost are the frescoes that were recently completed in Padua by Giotto (ca. 1267–1337). However, the style of painting is also reminiscent of the frescoes depicting the life of the Virgin Mary painted by Jacopo da Verona (1355 – after 1443) in the San Michele Oratory, a Gothic-style prayer hall in Padua. Some researchers have gone so far as to theorize that Jacopo was the artist responsible for the wealth of miniatures in this work. Furthermore, the fact that the three greatest literary figures of the early Italian Renaissance – Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio – wrote their greatest works in Italian instead of Latin encouraged the scribe or scribes who wrote the text to do so in vernacular. This is further evidence that the manuscript was made for a lay patron with Francesco Novello being the most likely candidate.

The Old Testament in Renaissance Italy

The plagues afflicting the Egyptians, the flight of the Israelites from Egypt, Moses and the Ten Commandments, the worship of the Golden Calf, and the trumpets of Jericho – all the best-known stories from the Old Testament are brought to life in this manuscript. These stories are also dressed in the garments and set in the cities and towns of late-14th century Italy. Their detailed design is complimented by the delicate colors and subtle shading that give them a dreamy yet realistic appearance. They are arranged so that the progression of events can be followed easily in the manner of a modern comic book. Architectural elements, landscape details, and groups of people are often conceived in the miniatures as units that contribute to the perspective and depth of the picture field. Many of the images are charged with tension and violence but are depicted with the same loving attention to detail as more pleasant scenes.