Folio Archives 203: The Secret Memoirs of a Renaissance Pope by Pius II 1988
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1wcarter
The Secret Memoirs of a Renaissance Pope. The Commentaries of Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini - Pius II 1988
Pius II was the only Pope to write an autobiography, and this is it. First published in 1584, large parts were suppressed by the Vatican because of its revelations about the Papacy, the cardinals, the electoral process and corruption within the Holy See. By today’s standards, the revelations were pretty tame.
The main opponent of Pius II was Sigismodo Malatesta who for his multiple crimes (murder, arson, incest etc.) was canonised to Hell. The Pope himself died leading a crusade against the Turks. Stirring times!
The book 373 page book is printed on unusually heavy Beverley Wove paper and is illustrated with ten bound-in duotone plates taken from a chapel in Siena dedicated to Pius II. It is edited and introduced by Leona C. Gabel, and translated by Florence A. Gragg. There is an unattributed ten page introduction and a five page index.
It is bound in cream elephanthide with a gilt printed red leather titling label and coat-of-arms blind blocked front cover. The maroon slipcase (23.5x16.cm.) matches the plain endpapers.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
Pius II was the only Pope to write an autobiography, and this is it. First published in 1584, large parts were suppressed by the Vatican because of its revelations about the Papacy, the cardinals, the electoral process and corruption within the Holy See. By today’s standards, the revelations were pretty tame.
The main opponent of Pius II was Sigismodo Malatesta who for his multiple crimes (murder, arson, incest etc.) was canonised to Hell. The Pope himself died leading a crusade against the Turks. Stirring times!
The book 373 page book is printed on unusually heavy Beverley Wove paper and is illustrated with ten bound-in duotone plates taken from a chapel in Siena dedicated to Pius II. It is edited and introduced by Leona C. Gabel, and translated by Florence A. Gragg. There is an unattributed ten page introduction and a five page index.
It is bound in cream elephanthide with a gilt printed red leather titling label and coat-of-arms blind blocked front cover. The maroon slipcase (23.5x16.cm.) matches the plain endpapers.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
3folio_books
>2 kdweber: I assume they're talking about elephant hide paper.
Otherwise known as vegetable parchment. Yes. Confirmed with Folio 60.
Otherwise known as vegetable parchment. Yes. Confirmed with Folio 60.
4affle
>1 wcarter:
Thank you for this instalment of the Archives, Warwick. It made me calculate that it is 13 years since my latest (not last, I hope) visit to the renaissance glories of Siena. I like this book, but it's a pity that the plates do rather little for the Pinturicchio frescoes in the Piccolomini Library in the Duomo. This link may give some idea of the riot of colour waiting for visitors:
https://operaduomo.siena.it/en/sites/piccolomini_library/
Thank you for this instalment of the Archives, Warwick. It made me calculate that it is 13 years since my latest (not last, I hope) visit to the renaissance glories of Siena. I like this book, but it's a pity that the plates do rather little for the Pinturicchio frescoes in the Piccolomini Library in the Duomo. This link may give some idea of the riot of colour waiting for visitors:
https://operaduomo.siena.it/en/sites/piccolomini_library/
5folio_books
>4 affle: This link may give some idea of the riot of colour waiting for visitors
That vault is simply amazing, Alan. Thanks for sharing.
That vault is simply amazing, Alan. Thanks for sharing.
6InVitrio
Never heard of this book. The insights into the election remind me a bit of the intriguing details in Pope Hadrian VII. I wonder if it contains that sort of thing.
7MobyRichard
FS needs to bring vegetable parchment back. It's classy stuff.
