Details

Subjects:

Aristocracy (Social class) -- Italy.
Nobility -- Italy -- Naples (Kingdom).
Nobility.
Aristocracy (Social class).
Italy.
Naples (Kingdom).
Nobility -- Italy -- Naples (Kingdom) -- Genealogy.

Form/Genre:

Codices.
Satires (literary works)
Manuscripts, Italian.
Manuscripts, European.
Genealogy.
Family histories.

Language:

Italian.

Biography/History:

Neapolitan historian and writer. Dedicated his life to the study of the anthropological history of the city of Naples, with a strong emphasis on customs, genealogy, tradition and folklore. Also had a special interest for the lives of the local aristocracy and did extensive research on their personal affairs. Wrote extensively on such matters, often unveiling secret or semi-secret aspects of their lives and depicting unflattering picture of the local noblemen. For this reason, his original works were published under the pseudonym of Dottore Domenico Confuorto, a partial anagram of his real name.

Summary:

Historical-satirical work on the lives of 75 Neapolitan families in 1693. The present manuscript contains tauntingly contemptuous portraits of the activities of some of the most prestigious families of Naples, only slightly concealed as biographical and genealogical essays. The author, who conducted extensive research from both archival material and oral sources, described the origin of the different families; occasionally, the origin of their name; how they rose to nobility and gained their titles; and their current activities. With a few fortunate exceptions, most families are portrayed as lazy, dishonest or undeserving of their privileges. Their customs are analyzed and criticized and a number of negative examples of their conduct are reported. In most cases, these facts are presented immediately after a brief summary of why the families are famous (for example because of their political position, or careers as lawyers, judges or officers), creating a satirical effect which exploits the contrast between the public image of the aristocrats and their private lives. Among the 75 families that appear in the manuscript, the most important are the Longo, the Cito, and the Grimaldi.

Notes:

Ms. codex.
Title from title page (f. i recto).
Foliation: Paper, i (paper) + 128 + i (paper); [i], 1-74, 74-126, contemporary foliation in pencil, modern foliation in ink, upper right recto. Catchwords, lower right corners.
Layout: Written in 16 long lines.
Script: Written in a cursive script.
Decoration: Decorative designs in ink on the corners of title page (f. i recto).
Watermark: Unidentified watermark containing a decorated coat of arms (large but very faint).
Binding: Half parchment (Zacour-Hirsch).
Origin: Written in Naples, after 1693.

Penn Provenance:

Purchased from Libreria Giá Nardecchia (Rome) (note in pencil inside upper cover reading Nardecchia, 6.VII.'48)
Sold by William H. Allen (Philadelphia), 1968 (note laid inside manuscript).

Cited in:

Described in Zacour, Norman P. and Hirsch, Rudolf. Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Libraries of the University of Pennsylvania to 1800: Supplement A (2), The Library Chronicle 36, (1970), no. 1, p. 28 (Ms. Lea 440).

Cited as:

UPenn Ms. Codex 1475

OCLC:

318191955