Squarcialupi Codex
The Codex Squarcialupi presents itself as a splendid Italian manuscript of the early 15th century in the exuberant robe of the Renaissance. And this splendour is more than appropriate, since the codex is an incomparable compendium of the secular music of the Trecento in Florence, created in the monastery of Santa Maria degli Angeli. It contains over 350 works by the most important Italian composers of the 14th century, whose portraits appear in elaborate historiated initials. However, the manuscript got its name from the organist and composer Antonio Squarcialupi, who was allowed to call it his own in the further course of the 15th century. Afterwards, the magnificent codex reached the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana in Florence via Raffaele Bonamici and Giuliano di Lorenzo de' Medici as early as around 1512/1513, where it is still kept today.
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!
Codicology
- Alternative Titles
- Codice Squarcialupi
- Size / Format
- 432 pages / 41.0 × 28.5 cm
- Origin
- Italy
- Date
- 1410–1420
- Epochs
- Style
- Genre
- Language
- Illustrations
- Lush gold ornamentation in large historiated initials with composer portraits, detailed borders, and countless fleuronnée initials in blue and red
- Artist / School
- Francesco Landini, Bartolino da Padova, Niccolò da Perugia, Egidius, Andrea da Firenze, Jacopo da Bologna, Lorenzo da Firenze, Gherardello da Firenze, Donato da Cascia, Giovanni da Cascia, Vincenzo da Rimini, Guilielmus de Francia
- Previous Owners
- Antonio Squarcialupi
Medici Family
Palatine Library in Florence
Squarcialupi Codex
Portrait of Donato da Cascia
Seventeen compositions in this music manuscript are attributed to Donato da Cascia and are considered to be some of the finest works of the Italian Ars nova, the late medieval musical style which was associated with the proliferation of polyphonic and secular music. Despite all of this, almost nothing is known about the man other than that he was active in Tuscany between 1350 and 1370. This historiated initial with a burnished gold background depicts him as a Benedictine monk.

Squarcialupi Codex
Portrait of Francesco Landini
This manuscript presents the music of the Italian Renaissance and pays tribute to its composers, including Francesco Landini, an Italian singer, organist, poet, and instrument-maker. His portrait, like the others, is presented next to a composition of his, which is adorned with red-blue initials and marginalia filled with angels and musical instruments.
This wonderful historiated initial consists of a gorgeous gold leaf frame with red and blue tendrils. In it, Landini plays a portative organ, a small pipe organ consisting of two rows of pipes that is strapped to the musician, operated by a small bellows and a set of keys. Such instruments were commonly used for performing secular music between the 12th and 16th centuries.

#1 Codice Squarcialupi
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