Original scientific paper

Fifteenth-century Illuminations in the Psalter from the Franciscan Convent at Kampor on Rab Island

Nikola Jakšić ; Department of Art History, University of Zadar, Croatia

Abstract

The paper deals with a 15th century psalter that was kept in Franciscan convent at Kampor on Rab Island. In 1986 it was stolen, thrown away and later found in the sea by local fishermen. It was entirely destroyed. In this way, another worthy historical testimony disappeared from otherwise opulent heritage of this Dalmatian island.
Author has made an effort to reconstruct the destroyed manuscript through comparison with Dalmatian Franciscan manuscripts from both Zadar and Dubrovnik, chosen mostly because of their common contents. In literature, Kampor manuscript was concisely published long ago - in 1917 - by H. Folnesics, with a black-andwhite photo of a single figural initial (fig. 8). In 1995, A. Badurina published a colour photo of a whole folium 57’ with a figural miniature (fig. 1). In 2004, this was apparently enough for M. Medica to attribute these miniatures to Giovanni di Antonio da Bologna, active during the second half of the 15th century.
On the basis of the thorough descriptions by H. Folnesics and A. Badurina, it was obvious that the codex contained eight figural miniatures in total, with few decorative ones in addition. Author had assumed that the legacy of A. Badurina could contain few more photos of Rab miniatures and began the quest in the photo archive of Zagreb Institute of Art History. Consequently, photos were found: four, previously unpublished black-and-white reproductions of figural initials allowed further understanding of the lost codex illuminations. One of the miniatures with the figure of Christ (fig. 3) entirely matched a figural initial (fig. 2) from a privately owned folio that was exhibited in 1998 and published in the catalogue La miniatura a Ferrara dal tempo di Cosmè Tura all’eredità di Ercole de’ Roberti, (ed. F. Toniolo), published in 1998. M. Medica has attributed this folium to Giovanni di Antonio da Bologna, unaware of psalter’s original context.
All of the abovementioned led to conclusion that the the most valuable folios have been cut from the codex that was thrown in the sea in order to ease the trafficking.
These new findings have facilitated an, at least partial, reconstruction of destroyed psalter’s figural contents. Miniatures have been distributed according to the liturgical division of psalter, in the way that the initial psalm for each of the weekdays began with an initial adorned with a figural miniature, as was usual with contemporary examples.
The distribution of the miniatures: first image is related do Psalm I (ff: Ps I) on f. 4, illustrating the beginning of text Beatus vir, (fig. 5), related to Sunday. It is followed by Monday, on f. 29 Dominus illumination mea, Ps XXVI, with no preserved reproduction. On f. 44, there is a Tuesday text: Dixi: custodiam vias meas, ut non delinquam in lingua sua from Ps XXXVIII. Its reproduction has not been preserved. Wednesday’s f. 57’: Dixi insipiens in corde suo, Ps LII, with a colour representation of the entire folium (fig. 1), showing a figure of a reckless man. On Thursday f. 70: Salvum me fac, Deus, quoniam intraverunt aque usque ad animam mea, Ps LXVII (fig. 8). The Friday f. 88: Exultate deo adiutori nostro: jubilate deo Jacob, Ps LXXX (fig. 9), and the Saturday f. 101’ Cantate dominon canticum novum, Ps XCVII (fig. 10). The eighth miniature is related to Ps CIX, with verses Dixit Dominus Domino meo, used to commence the vespers. This folium is the only one that has been preserved (fig. 2) and whose original context is proved by a black-and-white photo from Zagreb Institute of Art History (fig. 3).
Except for a general confirmation of the suggested attribution to Giovanni di Antonio da Bologna, author points out to some of the corresponding miniatures from codices illustrated by that miniaturist, particularly the compositions that haven’t been preserved in the photoarchives of Rab codex (figs. 4, 6, 7, 11).
Finally, author dates the psalter before 1445, year of the foundation of Kampor Franciscan convent in which it had been used, furthermore pointing out that the name of the Rab aristocrat who financed the construction was Petrus de Zaro, and not Car as was generally accepted in the literature.

Keywords

psalter; illumination; Giovanni di Antonio da Bologna; Franciscan Convent; fifteenth century

Hrčak ID:

112107

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/112107

Publication date:

13.12.2013.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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