The Animal Book of Pier Candido

There is a highly valuable collection of zoological manuscripts in the Apostolic Library of the Vatican. Descriptions and depictions of animals of all kinds, as they were seen in nature by the respective book masters, are found in these books. Our modern biological knowledge naturally did not yet play any role at that time. One of the most famous works of this kind is The Animal Book of Pier Candido. It is an astounding encyclopedia, which was able to combine contemporary natural studies with medieval myths and legends. The work was created ca. 1460 and was endowed with a total of 496 colored and gold-adorned illustrations around 100 years later.

Pier Candido the Humanist

The Italian Pier Candido Decembrio, called Petrus Candidus in Latin, was born ca. 1399 and died in 1477 in Milan. He was one of the most famous humanists of his time and was an influential politician in Italy. He worked for a long time at the court of the Milanese Duke Filippo Maria Visconti, for whom he wrote a biography. Candido produced numerous writings and translations. On his tombstone, a total of 127 titles for which he was responsible are recorded. Probably his most famous work is the “bestiary” his Animal Book.

The Animal Life of the Renaissance

Ludovico Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua, commissioned the lexicon. The Marquis was famous as a great lover of animals. Candido composed a work that contained all of the natural scientific information which was known in 1460. He allowed for the influence of mythological stories and in doing so created an informative and exciting book, which was illuminated with colorful images ca. 1550. The miniatures show realistic animal figures in eight different colors. Many of the miniatures were additionally embellished with decorative elements of gold and silver. The book margins were set in 23 carat gold. The natural history of the Renaissance was bound here in one of the Vatican’s most splendid codices.