The Medici Library's Oriental Collection - built by Michelangelo

Biscionio, Antonio Maria. Bibliothecae Mediceo-Laurentianae catalogus [...]. Tomus primus [no more published], codices orientales complectens.

€ 6,500.00

First and only edition of this ambitiously conceived catalogue of the Hebrew, Syriac, Arabic and Greek manuscripts at the Laurentian Library ("Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana") in Florence. The 9 engraved plates of the first part show the architectural details and ornaments of the library that was planned and partly built by Michelangelo; the plates of the second part show examples from the illuminated manuscripts of the collection - a rich trove of Near-Eastern and Middle-Eastern book art. Antonio Maria Biscionio (1674-1756) was a celebrated scholar and the appointed keeper of the Laurentian Library. "No more published; later catalogs were issued by Biscioni's successor as librarian, Angelo Maria Bandini. An abridgment appeared in 1757 under title: 'Bibliothecae ebraicae graecae florentinae, sive Bibliothecae mediceo-laurentianae catalogus'" (OCLC).

Vellum slightly rubbed at extremeties; foxing to edges of final pages. Rare; only two copies in international auction records since 1950.