Squarcialupi Codex

Squarcialupi Codex

Antonio Squarcialupi lent his name to this impressive codex. Squarcialupi (1416–1480) was a significant Florentine organist and composer during the 15th century, who stood in service of the Medici inter alia. The impressive manuscript, which found itself in his possession, is thus also associated with the Medici and is stored today in the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana in Florence.

A Cross Section of the Secular Music of the Trecento

The Squarcialupi Codex originated in the years 1410–20 and is an illuminated manuscript from the Monastery of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Florence. On its 432 pages, the codex collects an unbelievable wealth of secular music from the Trecento: 352 works altogether from fourteen famous composers. Alongside the great Francesco Landini one finds inter alia Bartolino da Padova, Niccolò da Perugia, Andrea da Firenze, Jacopo da Bologna, Lorenzo da Firenze, Gherardello da Firenze, Donato da Cascia, Giovanni da Cascia, and Vincenzo da Rimini.

The Manuscript as a Work of Art

The appearance of the codex is also impressive: the visual adornment presents the work as the epitome of the Renaissance: exuberant decorative frames consisting of bright, floral ornaments and accentuated with gold surround the songs. Musical instruments and other symbolic objects as well as human, animal, and mythical figures people the garlands and thus represent the connection of the decoration with the content of the songs. Large initials with portraits in the compositions introduce the individual chapters and fine, extremely artful initials precede the individual compositions. The Squarcialupi Codex is an all-around synthesis of the arts: an unbelievable anthology of 14th century music and simultaneously a true treasure of an Italian Renaissance manuscript!