This course will provide a historical overview of the different handwritten witnesses which are characteristic of the book scripts between XIIIth and XVth centuries: especially the origin of the new humanistic book scripts in the XVth and XVIth centuries. The course will also provide an introduction to the description of mediaeval manuscripts.
T. De Robertis, Codicologia in: Biblioteconomia. Guida classificata, a cura di M. Guerrini, Milano Editrice Bibliografica, 2007, pp. 819-821.
S. Zamponi, Paleografia latina in: Biblioteconomia cit., pp. 869-872.
B. Bischoff, Paleografia latina, Padova, Antenore 1992, pp. 5-18, 26-41 (Il libro manoscritto).
H. Bresslau, Manuale di diplomatica per la Germania e l'Italia, Roma, Ministero per i Beni culturali e Ambientali - Ufficio Centrale per i Beni Archivistici, 1998 pp. 1093-1123 (Le materie scrittorie).
T. De Robertis, Questioni preliminari e generali, «Medioevo e Rinascimento», 7 (1993), 161-193.
S. Zamponi, La scrittura umanistica in “Archiv für Diplomatik” 50, 2004, pp. 467-504.
Norme per i collaboratori dei manoscritti datati d’Italia, Padova, Cleup, 2007.
Learning Objectives
This course will provide a cutting-edge knowledge of book scripts and codices between XIIIth and XVth centuries.
Prerequisites
Excellent skills in reading and speaking Italian; knowledge of history and of cultural history from late Antiquity to the Middle Age; good skills in reading Latin; basic knowledge of Latin palaeography, codicology and diplomatics.
Teaching Methods
Oral lessons, with presentation and analysis of photographic reproductions of Latin scripts. Seminars in Florentine libraries.
Further information
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Type of Assessment
Written exercises and oral examination
Course program
Definition and historical ground of Palaeography (research field, method and purpose).
Methods and principles of palaographical analysis: writing as a system of signs; relationship between ductus and letter forms; writing angle; size and weight. Writing techniques: formal hand (to write stroke after stroke), cursive hand (currenti calamo scribere); different forms of the same letter; ligatures; majuscule and minuscule scripts; style.
Books and documents: their materials, shape and use; writing tools.
Introduction to mediaeval handwriting in the Latin West from the late XIIth century until the dawn of print.
Main mediaeval systems of abbreviation. Principles of transcription.
Exercises in cataloguing mediaeval manuscripts, identifying, dating, and transcribing their scripts.