Two Illuminated Law Manuscripts at the Biblioteca
Nazionale of Napoli from the “pulchra libraria”
of the Monastery of Capestrano
This article focuses on two illuminated law manuscripts
that were once part of the library of the Franciscan convent
in Capestrano, in Abruzzo. Both belonged to the library
of St. John of Capestrano, known as the 'champion'
of the Franciscan Observance. The coat of arms painted
in the foliate border of manuscript III.A.2 allows identifying
as patrons the counts of Celano, major sponsors of
the arts in Abruzzo, and helps to establish the chronology
of the manuscript itself. The decorative features of the
borders reveal that the iconography and the style of both
the volumes are Bolognese. Moreover, the two initials of
manuscript I.H.6 can be assigned to the Bolognese Master
of 1446. More complex and thorny issues arise from
the other volume. In particular, the large and notable miniature
in the incipit page reveals a fascinating, and, so
far, unknown artistic personality, whose art could offer
a contribution to the further development of the study of
painting and illumination in Abruzzo during the first half
of the 14th century. The author of this miniature might
even represent a link between the activity of the Master
of Beffi and the art of Andrea Delitio.