Vita Mathildis
The Vita Mathildis was produced between 1111 and 1115 by the Benedictine monk Donzio. The work is concerned with the powerful Italian princely family of Canossa and in doing so places Marchioness Mathilda of Canossa at the center. It is decorated with eight splendid, gold-adorned miniatures and numerous embellished initials.
Vita Mathildis
Mathilde of Canossa (1046–1115) was the last representative of the great dynasty of the Margraves of Tuscia. They built up a domain in Italy in less than one hundred years. Her life was under the spell of great politics, which were defined by the power struggle between the papacy and the empire. Through her support of the papacy, which culminated in the transfer of her entire domain to the Papal States, she sacrificed her house’s claim to power. The Vita Mathildis not only brings this illustrious personality to life, but also transmits approaches for the evaluation of historical events and figure which are disputed today.
Partition in Two Parts
The Vita Mathildis was produced between 1111 and 1115 by the Benedictine monk Donzio, who the marchioness knew personally and esteemed. His work is separated into two books. The first book extols the rise of the House of Canossa to one of the most powerful princely families of 11th century Italy. The second book is dedicated entirely on Marchioness Mathilda. Standing in the foreground is her deep piety, her loyalty to the papacy, and her endeavors to mediate between Henry IV and Pope Gregory VII. The work was first completed after Mathilda’s death, Donzio added a lament as a result.
Romanesque Book Art
The work contains 8 magnificent miniatures in the Romanesque Style. The illustrations impress through luminous colors and lavish application of gold. The master utilized 23 karat gold here. Along with the charming miniatures, the text of the codex is adorned with many embellished initials. With its high-quality illustrations, the Vita Mathildis is an impressive testimony to the development of a dynasty between the poles of contemporary events.
Codicology
- Alternative Titles
- Life of Matilda of Tuscany
Acta Comitissae Mathildis
Life of Mathilda of Canossa
Vita der Mathilde von Canossa - Size / Format
- 180 pages / 21.0 × 16.0 cm
- Origin
- Italy
- Date
- 1115
- Epochs
- Style
- Genre
- Language
- Illustrations
- 8 miniatures and many initials
- Artist / School
- Donizo (author)
Vita Mathildis
Boniface III, Margrave of Tuscany
The most powerful prince in northern Italy during the early-10th century is literally covered with gold leaf from head to toe in this splendid early Romanesque miniature. Boniface III was a major player in imperial politics and an important ally of the Holy Roman Emperors during this period and his intrigues resulted in his assassination 1052. The script down the side reads: Te redimat Sothér Bonifaci marchio duxque – “May the Savior redeem you Boniface, duke and margrave”.

Vita Mathildis
Presentation Miniature
This miniature depicts Marchioness Matilda of Tuscany enthroned and wearing lavish robes trimmed with ermine, which is depicted with gold leaf, as are her shoes. She looks straight at the beholder with a cool, imperious expression one might expect from a powerful, independent noblewoman. The inscription reads: Mathildis lucens, precor hoc cape cara volume or “Resplendent Matilda, please accept this book, oh you dear one”.
Framed by royal purple, Matilda is flanked by a tonsured cleric and a man-at-arms wearing gold chain mail. The cleric to her left is Donzio, who created the manuscript, which he is presenting to Matilda. On the right, sword in hand, stands her man-at-arms, dressed in a red tunic, blue cloak, and knee-high leather boots.

#1 Vita der Mathilde von Canossa
Language: German
- Treatises / Secular Books
- Apocalypses / Beatus
- Astronomy / Astrology
- Bestiaries
- Bibles / Gospels
- Chronicles / History / Law
- Geography / Maps
- Saints' Lives
- Islam / Oriental
- Judaism / Hebrew
- Single Leaf Collections
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Literature / Poetry
- Liturgical Manuscripts
- Medicine / Botany / Alchemy
- Music
- Mythology / Prophecies
- Psalters
- Other Religious Books
- Games / Hunting
- Private Devotion Books
- Other Genres
- Afghanistan
- Armenia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Colombia
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- France
- Germany
- Hungary
- India
- Iran
- Iraq
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Luxembourg
- Mexico
- Morocco
- Netherlands
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- Serbia
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Syria
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uzbekistan
- Aboca Museum
- Ajuntament de Valencia
- Akademie Verlag
- Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA)
- Aldo Ausilio Editore - Bottega d’Erasmo
- Alecto Historical Editions
- Alkuin Verlag
- Almqvist & Wiksell
- Amilcare Pizzi
- Andreas & Andreas Verlagsbuchhandlung
- Archiv Verlag
- Archivi Edizioni
- Arnold Verlag
- ARS
- Ars Magna
- ArtCodex
- AyN Ediciones
- Azimuth Editions
- Bärenreiter-Verlag
- Belser Verlag
- Belser Verlag / WK Wertkontor
- Benziger Verlag
- Bernardinum Wydawnictwo
- BiblioGemma
- Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana (Vaticanstadt, Vaticanstadt)
- Bibliotheca Palatina Faksimile Verlag
- Bibliotheca Rara
- Boydell & Brewer
- Bramante Edizioni
- Brepols Publishers
- British Library
- C. Weckesser
- Caixa Catalunya
- Canesi
- CAPSA, Ars Scriptoria
- Caratzas Brothers, Publishers
- Carus Verlag
- Circulo Cientifico
- Club Bibliófilo Versol
- CM Editores
- Collegium Graphicum
- Collezione Apocrifa Da Vinci
- Comissão Nacional para as Comemorações dos Descobrimentos Portugueses
- Coron Verlag
- CTHS
- D. S. Brewer
- De Agostini/UTET
- De Schutter
- Deuschle & Stemmle
- Deutscher Verlag für Kunstwissenschaft
- DIAMM
- Droz
- E. Schreiber Graphische Kunstanstalten
- Ediciones Boreal
- Ediciones Grial
- Ediclube
- Edições Inapa
- Edilan
- Editalia
- Edition Georg Popp
- Edition Leipzig
- Edition Libri Illustri
- Editiones Reales Sitios S. L.
- Éditions de l'Oiseau Lyre
- Editions Medicina Rara
- Editorial Casariego
- Editorial Mintzoa
- Editrice Antenore
- Editrice Velar
- Edizioni Edison
- Egeria, S.L.
- Eikon Editores
- Electa
- Enciclopèdia Catalana
- Eos-Verlag
- Ephesus Publishing
- Eugrammia Press
- Extraordinary Editions
- Fackelverlag
- Facsimile Editions Ltd.
- Facsimilia Art & Edition Ebert KG
- Faksimile Verlag
- Feuermann Verlag
- Folger Shakespeare Library
- Franco Cosimo Panini Editore
- Friedrich Wittig Verlag
- Fundación Hullera Vasco-Leonesa
- G. Braziller
- Gabriele Mazzotta Editore
- Gebr. Mann Verlag
- Getty Research Institute
- Giovanni Domenico de Rossi
- Giunti Editore
- Graffiti
- Grafica European Center of Fine Arts
- Guido Pressler
- Guillermo Blazquez
- H. N. Abrams
- Harrassowitz
- Helikon
- Hendrickson Publishers
- Henning Oppermann
- Herder Verlag
- Hes & De Graaf Publishers
- Hoepli
- Houghton Library
- Hugo Schmidt Verlag
- Idion Verlag
- Il Bulino, edizioni d'arte
- ILte
- Imago
- Insel Verlag
- Instituto de Estudios Altoaragoneses
- Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia
- Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana - Treccani
- Istituto Ellenico di Studi Bizantini e Postbizantini
- Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato
- Italarte Art Establishments
- J. Thorbecke
- Jan Thorbecke Verlag
- Johnson Reprint Corporation
- Jugoslavija
- Karl W. Hiersemann
- Kasper Straube
- Kaydeda Ediciones
- Konrad Kölbl Verlag
- Kurt Wolff Verlag
- La Liberia dello Stato
- La Linea Editrice
- La Meta Editore
- Lambert Schneider
- Landeskreditbank Baden-Württemberg
- Leo S. Olschki
- Les Incunables
- Library of Congress
- Libreria Musicale Italiana
- Lichtdruck
- Lito Immagine Editore
- Lumen Artis
- Lund Humphries
- M. Moleiro Editor
- Maison des Sciences de l'homme et de la société de Poitiers
- Manuscriptum
- Maruzen-Yushodo Co. Ltd.
- MASA
- McGraw-Hill
- Militos
- Millennium Liber
- Müller & Schindler
- National Library of Wales
- Neri Pozza
- Nova Charta
- Oceanum Verlag
- Odeon
- Orbis Mediaevalis
- Orbis Pictus
- Österreichische Staatsdruckerei
- Oxford University Press
- Parzellers Buchverlag
- Patrimonio Ediciones
- PIAF
- Pieper Verlag
- Plon-Nourrit et cie
- Prestel Verlag
- Princeton University Press
- Prisma Verlag
- Priuli & Verlucca, editori
- Pro Sport Verlag
- Propyläen Verlag
- Pytheas Books
- Quaternio Verlag Luzern
- Reales Sitios
- Recht-Verlag
- Reichert Verlag
- Reichsdruckerei
- Riehn & Reusch
- Roberto Vattori Editore
- Rosenkilde and Bagger
- Roxburghe Club
- Salerno Editrice
- Sarajevo Svjetlost
- Schöck ArtPrint Kft.
- Scolar Press
- Scrinium
- Scripta Maneant
- Scriptorium
- Siloé, arte y bibliofilia
- SISMEL - Edizioni del Galluzzo
- Sociedad Mexicana de Antropología
- Sorli Ediciones
- Stainer and Bell
- Styria Verlag
- Sumptibus Pragopress
- Szegedi Tudomànyegyetem
- Taberna Libraria
- Tarshish Books
- Taschen
- Tempus Libri
- Testimonio Compañía Editorial
- The Clear Vue Publishing Partnership Limited
- The Facsimile Codex
- The Folio Society
- The Marquess of Normanby
- The Richard III and Yorkist History Trust
- Tip.Le.Co
- TouchArt
- TRI Publishing Co.
- Trident Editore
- Typis Regiae Officinae Polygraphicae
- University of California Press
- University of Chicago Press
- Urs Graf
- Vallecchi
- Van Wijnen
- VCH, Acta Humaniora
- VDI Verlag
- Verlag für Regionalgeschichte
- Verlag Styria
- Vicent Garcia Editores
- W. Turnowsky
- Wiener Mechitharisten-Congregation (Wien, Österreich)
- Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft
- Xuntanza Editorial
- Zollikofer AG