Simon Gattula, Confessionale Pro Reverendissimo Episcopo Venusino Confessionale Pro Reverendissimo Episcopo Venusino, illuminated manuscript in Latin on parchment [southern Italy (Naples), 1557]

Simon Gattula, Confessionale Pro Reverendissimo Episcopo Venusino Confessionale Pro Reverendissimo Episcopo Venusino, illuminated manuscript in Latin on parchment [southern Italy (Naples), 1557]

13 leaves, complete, collation: i2, ii8, iii3 (last a singleton to complete volume), single column, up to 20 lines in fine calligraphic bookhand in brown, blue or red ink, six 2- or 3-line initials in liquid gold, 7 full-page line-drawn illustrations (fol. 1r: arms of Simon Gattula within a cabochon surmounted by a mitre, with blue ink inscription SIMON/GATTULA/EPUS/VENUSINUS; fol. 1v, arms of the Pope surmounted by the three tiered papal crown and St. Peters keys; fol. 2r, Crucifixion; fol. 2v, St. Peter kneeling before Christ and receiving his keys; fol.7r, Gattula as a bishop, kneeling in prayer before visions of the Crucifixion and the Virgin and Child; fol. 7v, Pentecost; fol. 9v, the Crown of Thorns in penwork with blue and yellow wash; fol. 11r, St. Andrew holding his cross and a book; and arms of Rudolfo Pio, surmounted by cardinals hat and with inscription naming owner of arms, added later to fol. 11v), some small spots, cockling and small holes in places, overall good condition, 140 by 105mm.; fine contemporary binding of dark brown leather over pasteboards, elaborately gilt-tooled on front and back boards with name of author around a floral central boss within floral roll stamped frame (restored in nineteenth century, when paper endleaves were added), spine cracking in places, 2 tags on each board cut away

Provenance:

1. This is evidently a de luxe copy of the text produced for the author s own library, and in his personal binding. Its small size and lavish illustration suggest that it was intended for his own devotional use. Simon Gattula held office as the head of the Neapolitan church, and in 1551 was elected bishop of Venosa, a diocese in the Apennines in southern Italy. He died there in 1566. No other book from his library is known to us.

2. Rudolfo Pio, nephew of Alberto Pio, the lord of Carpi, north of Modena: his arms added to fol. 11v.

3. Pantani Giuseppe Fabbro Valestra: his ownership inscription dated 1877, at foot of fol. 1r.

Text:

The present manuscript contains a petition that Simon Gattula sent to the Pope to obtain authorisation for the use of a series of prayers and confessional practises within Gattulas diocese, and includes a copy of the papal response of 1557, granting this.