Passion of Christ and apocryphal stories, including translations from the Nicodemus Gospel

Timespan:

Early works to 1800

Date:

1450

Description:

Anonymous Italian version of the Passion story told according to the Gospels. In the later portion there are many miraculous stories based on apocryphal literature, such as the Gospels of Peter and Nicodemus. End appears to be missing. This is a devotional work evidently intended for lay people. The story of the resuscitation of the two young men, for which the source is the Nicodemus Gospel, is of particular interest because it shows what could happen when an apocryphal legend was transformed into a popular novel. In the early Christian Latin text, the two men who report what they saw in the Inferno have appropriate Roman names, Carinus and Lucius. Here they are Rainero and Lenzo. The spurious letter of Pilate to the Emperor Claudius, in which he apologizes for his role in the crucifixion, is fairly exactly translated from the Nicodemus Gospel.

Language:

Italian

Provenance:

Sold from the collection of Giuseppe Martini to H. P. Kraus, ca. 1948.; Appears in H. P. Kraus's list 189 (1956), no. 208.; Sold by H. P. Kraus, 1960.; Martini, Giuseppe, 1870-1944, former owner.

Subject:

Jesus Christ In literature; Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ Passion; Passion of Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ Biography Apocryphal and legendary literature; Italian literature; Devotional literature, Italian; Jesus Christ Trial Apocryphal and legendary literature; Catholic Church -- Discipline; Catholic Church; Discipline; Christian literature, Early; Devotional literature, Italian -- Early works to 1800; Italian literature -- Early works to 1800; Spirituality -- Catholic Church

Resource Type:

Text

Form/Genre:

Biographies; Apocryphal and legendary literature; Codices; Manuscripts, Italian; Manuscripts, Medieval; Manuscripts, Renaissance; manuscripts (documents)

Physical Description:

69 leaves : paper.; 290 x 210 (180 x 110) mm bound to 297 x 207 mm

Rights:

https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/

Notes:

Ms. codex.; Title supplied by cataloger (Zacour-Hirsch).; Incipit (f. 1r): Aprosimando la festa de la pasqua ...; Blank folio at beginning and several folios at end appear to be missing. This manuscript was once part of a larger volume.; Foliation: Paper, i (modern paper) + 69 + i (modern paper); 48-116; contemporary foliation in ink, bottom center recto; modern foliation in pencil, upper right recto.; Layout: Written in 33 long lines; ruled in drypoint.; Script: Written in a single cultivated humanist hand. A few notes on f. 69v in a later hand.; Decoration: Red and blue used for initials; red used for heading on f. 1r.; Binding: Modern half vellum.; Origin: Written in northern Italy (Venetian territory) in the second half of the 15th century (notes of bookseller H. P. Kraus). Zacour-Hirsch places the origin in Lombardy.; Some leaves soft and fragile; edges worn and fraying. Leaves stained. Various smudges. Some red and blue initials wearing through the paper.; Bookseller's description (H. P. Kraus) on file in the Library.; This text is apparently unpublished.; Italian.

Physical Location:

Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Manuscripts, Oversize Ms. Codex 340