The Scriptorium and Library at Monte Cassino, 1058-1105
Published on 29. April 1999
Book
Hardback
448 pages
978-0-521-58395-4 (ISBN)
Description
In all the history of hand-written books, one of the most distinctive and handsome scripts is that of the abbey of Monte Cassino. This study examines for the first time in detail the development of this script during the Abbey's greatest period of wealth and influence, under Desiderius (abbot 1058-1087) and his successor Oderisius (abbot 1087-1105). The characteristic Cassinese hand was established long before, but in this period it was transformed into what is today considered its classic form. The present study rests on a fresh examination of many details of the Beneventan (South Italian) script in aspects incompletely studied before. It aims to provide a new history of Monte Cassino as a writing centre and to offer a context for many unique or valuable texts manuscripts that it processed.
Reviews / Votes
'... Newton's rich study is a monument to a lifetime well spent in observation and thoughtful consideration of a very important group of texts and manuscripts.' The Journal of Ecclesiastical History 'A splendid book ... Newton's approach is a model of the methodology and application of the paleographer's craft. The book's abundant illustrations and its detailed plate descriptions will be of invaluable help to scholars from other fields who use Beneventan materials.' Carmela Vircillo Franklin, SpeculumMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
9 Plates, color; 339 Halftones, unspecified
Dimensions
Height: 284 mm
Width: 227 mm
Thickness: 45 mm
Weight
2660 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-521-58395-4 (9780521583954)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Content
1. The abbots and the scriptorium at Monte Cassino; 2. Background: the Cassinese scriptorium under Abbot Theobald and the master scribe Grimoald; 3. The development of the canonical Cassinese style of Beneventan display manuscripts; 4. Common manuscripts of the Scriptorium, part I: patristic and medieval texts; 5. Common manuscripts of the Scriptorium, part II: classical texts; 6. Practices of the scriptorium; 7. Gifts and other holdings of the library; 8. Books, texts, and a bibliophile abbot.