Details

Subjects:

Montalvan, Alonso de.
Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint -- Art.
Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint.
Nobility -- Spain -- Early works to 1800.
Illumination of books and manuscripts -- Specimens.
Illumination of books and manuscripts.
Nobility.
Spain.
Spain -- History -- Philip II, 1556-1598.
History.

Form/Genre:

Specimens.
codices (bound manuscripts)
letters patent.
illuminations.
Manuscripts, Spanish -- 16th century.
Manuscripts, Renaissance.
Art.

Language:

Spanish.

Summary:

Carta executoria issued under the name of Philip II of Spain in favor of Alonso de Montalvan of Seville, in response to his pleito de hidalguia (litigation to establish noble status). Issued in Granada, 17 June 1589. Followed by a number of signatures (f. 55r) and a briefer notarial document written in Seville and dated 28 June 1589 (f. 55v-56v).

Notes:

Title from colophon (f. 55r).
Foliation: Parchment, 58; [1-58]; modern foliation in pencil, upper right recto.
Layout: Written in 34 long lines; ruled in red ink.
Script: Written in Spanish rotunda script by a single hand, with another document in a second, less formal hand (f. 55v-56v), and notes and comments in several additional hands (f. 1r, 55r, 56v, and 58v).
Decoration: Three full page illuminated miniatures: Madonna and Child standing upon a winged serpent, with St. Francis of Assisi, the stigmata visible on his right palm, kneeling alongside, surrounded by an illuminated border depicting objects such as doorways, vessels, buildings, mirrors, plants, a four-headed winged creature and a smaller miniature of God with a triangular halo representing the Holy Trinity and holding the globus cruciger (f. 1v); a knight (face has been smudged, perhaps deliberately) seated on a white horse, holding a sword, with a woman lying on the ground, a soldier kneeling down holding a sword, and a severed head, hand, and leg lying on the ground, surrounded by an illuminated border incorporating female figures and foliate designs (f. 2r); and a large, unidentified coat of arms topped by an illuminated knight's helmet. Historiated initial of St. Catherine, holding a quill and sword (f. 54v); several 2-line to 10-line illuminated initials on backgrounds of red or occasionally blue, with other decoration (f. 3r, 7r, 11v, 15v, 19r, 21r, 23r, 24r, 26v, 29r, 31v, 34r, 36r, 45r, 45v, 49r, 49v, 50v, 51r, 51v, and 53v). The text is ruled in red and framed by an illuminated border on each folio.
Binding: Contemporary gilt stamped leather over wooden boards, partly restored, but still fragile. Spine is split and deteriorating, upper hinge is loose, lower cover is completely detached, and f. 57-58 is nearly detached. Binding coming apart between f. 30-31. The book is generally musty; there might be evidence of slight water or mildew damage at the beginning and end.
Origin: Written in Granada, 1589 (f. 55r).

Penn Provenance:

Acquired, 1952.

Cited in:

Described in Zacour, Norman P. and Hirsch, Rudolf. Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Libraries of the University of Pennsylvania to 1800 (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1965), p. 136 (Ms. Spanish 2).

Cited as:

UPenn Ms. Codex 73

OCLC:

155903486

Access Restriction:

Access to this item is subject to staff review.