A commercial product: codicological and typographical features in Le Sette Chiese Romane by Onofrio Panvinio
Rome is one of the most famous cities for pilgrims to visit. One particular pilgrimage is known as the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome. To visit seven of the most extraordinary churches of Rome, the Basilica of St. Peter, the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the Basilica of St. Mary Major, the Basilica of Saint Lawrence outside the Walls, the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem and the Basilica of St. Sebastian Outside the Walls in one day or two days was considered the main aim for pilgrims in the late sixteenth century. A pilgrim, after completing a visit to these seven churches, would receive an indulgentia, an indulgence. This means a pilgrim, according to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, was able to reduce the amount of punishment after death in the state of purification, called Purgatory; for committing sins during their lifetime.
An early modern book on a pilgrimage to seven churches
The Italian theologian, historian and antiquarian Onofrio Panvinio (1530 – 1568) wrote a treatise titled Le Sette Chiese Romane (1570). In this treatise, Panvinio discusses the historical background of the pilgrimage of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome. The pilgrimage to these seven churches was, apparently, rediscovered by the priest and founder of the society of secular clergy called the Congregation of the Oratory, Philip Neri (1515 – 1595) in 1552. However, another interesting aspect of Panvinio’s book, alongside the content, are the codicological and typographical features. What kinds of unique codicological and typographical features can be found in the first print of Panvinio’s Le Sette Chiese Romane?
Curious title-page and first quire
In order to unravel which codicological and typographical features can be found in Panvinio’s Le Sette Chiese Romane, we have to wonder who published the book in 1570. The book of Panvinio was published by the sons, Bartolomeo, Stefano, Orazio and Paolo, of the Italian typographer and publisher Antonio Blado (1490 – 1567), who inherited the family business (see fig. 1; title-page).
On the title-page one reads the words “Tradotte da Marco Antonio Lanfranchi” (“Translated by Marco Antonio Lanfranchi”). Additionally, the translator himself, Marco Antonio Lanfranchi, wrote a brief introduction on the translation, which has been bound in Panvinio’s book as the first quire of the textblock. Both the comment on the title-page and Lanfranchi’s introduction in the first quire are remarkable findings; especially, since the core text itself has been printed in Latin. We have to wonder: was the text indeed translated? And if so, why did Blado mention that the treatise was translated by Lanfranchi in a textblock that has been printed in Latin?
The title in the catalogue of the Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome mentions Le Sette Chiese Romane, which is indeed an Italian title. However, the Latin title of Panvinio’s treatise was De præcipuis vrbis Romæ sanctioribusque basilicis, quas septem ecclesias uulgo uocant, liber, which appears in other editions of the text that has a title-page in Latin. There are, however, also Italian editions of Panvinio’s core text. Apparently, Blado decided to publish Panvinio’s book both in Latin and Italian in 1570. Nevertheless, the textblock of this particular edition has been printed in Latin, not in Italian. Why did Blado mention that the treatise was translated by Lanfranchi?
There are several explanations why this particular Italian title-page and the first quire with Lanfranchi’s text have been inserted. The title-page does not contain the usual printer’s insignia of Blado, which normally depicts a crowned eagle. The title-page depicts a seal of Beatrice Ferella. It seems that the book has been dedicated to her: “All illvstrissima, et eccellentiss. Signora la S. D. Beatrice Ferella de gli Orsini Duch. di Grauina.” Therefore, one might assume that Ferella ordered a translated edition of the text.
Additionally, we have to consider that this book might be printed for commercial reasons. Due to the introduction of Lanfranchi in the first quire, it seems that Lanfranchi addresses the reader. This was probably done for commercial reasons, since the overall communication during a pilgrimage in Rome was in Italian and not in Latin. Although the dedication of the book to Ferella and the communication in Italian during a Roman pilgrimage might explain why the first quire contains these extraordinary codicological features, we have to discuss the typography of Panvinio’s book as well.
Typographical features in Panvinio’s Le Sette Chiese Romane
Typography is the technique of arranging type to make written language legible, readable, and appealing when displayed for a reader. The type of Panvinio’s Le Sette Chiese Romane is a so-called italic type. This particular typeface was developed by the Venetian printer and publisher Aldo Manuzio (c.1452 – 1515) and the papal scribe and type designer Ludovico Vicentino degli Arrighi (1475 – 1527) in the first quarter of the sixteenth century. The mean characteristics of italic type is the cursive font, which is based on a stylised form of calligraphic handwriting, a slight slant to the right, and the non-italic use of capitals are the mean characteristics of italic type. The Italic type was probably invented by Manuzio and Arrighi for economic reasons, since more text could be printed on one page in comparison with other fonts at the time, such as the Roman type. What other typographical characteristics can be traced in Blado’s typography?
One needs to compare several books that were printed by the Blado family in the sixteenth century in order to grasp on the typographical characteristics of Blado’s typography. Bartholomeo Marliani (1488 – 1566), an Italian antiquarian and topographer, wrote a treatise on the ancient history of Rome, titled L’antichità di Roma (1548), which was published by Blado as well. If we compare the typography of Panvinio’s Le Sette Chiese Romane and Marliani’s L’antichità di Roma, one will easily notice the similarities and differences between both books. The main similarity between both books is the use italic type (see fig. 2; pages of Panvinio’s and Marliani’s book). However, there are some minor differences concerning the typography.
For example, Blado used two different kinds of punctuations marks when publishing these books. The L’antichità di Roma only has checked full stops at the end of a sentence, whereas the Le Sette Chiese Romane clearly has rounded full stops (see fig. 3; punctuation marks). Additionally, the same difference between a checked and rounded punctuation mark appears when analysing the colon in both printed books (see fig. 3; punctuation marks).
Another interesting aspect of the typography in Panvinio’s Le Sette Chiese Romane is the use of abbreviations, such as the abbreviations ‘qd̄’ (quod or quad), ‘alteri9’ (alterius), ‘episcoporū’ (episcoporum), p̄sbyter (presbyter) or ‘p̱p̱’ (either papa or propter) (see fig. 4; abbreviations). The use of these abbreviations in Latin texts was quite common in late sixteenth-century Roman printing houses. Additionally, it provides us a brief glimpse of the readers that Blado had in mind when publishing Panvinio’s book. Due to the use of these abbreviations in the Latin language, a reader needed some knowledge of Latin grammar in order to understand the text properly. Therefore, one could assume that a reader of Panvinio’s Le Sette Chiese Romane was familiar with Latin. However, the initials are another typographical aspect that needs further studying as well.
Meaning in typographical decorations
Initials of early modern books were often decorated as a mark for a reader, to indicate where a new chapter or paragraph of the book begins. The typographical decorations of the initials could convey a certain meaning that might related to a particular passage of the core text.
One particular initial that catches the eye immediately is the ‘C-initial’ at page 199 of Panvinio’s book. This initial portrays an image of Jeremiah, as has been indicated by the ribbon with the word ‘Hieremia’ (see fig. 5; multiple decorated initials). Jeremiah was one of the major prophets of the Hebrew Bible, who was well known for his critical thoughts on the religious relations in the Kingdom of Judea. Similarly to other decorated initials of medieval manuscripts, Jeremiah is depicted with a long beard and a gesturing hand.
Especially, the title of this particular paragraph indicates why Jeremiah has been depicted in the initial: “De quinta ecclesia, et titulo S. Crucis in Hierusalem” ("About the fifth church, and the title of Holy Cross in Jerusalem"). This paragraph indeed discusses the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, which was probably consecrated in the year 325 in order to house relics of the Passion of Jesus Christ. However, the relics are not the main reason why this basilica is dedicated to the Holy Cross in Jerusalem. It has to do with the floor of the Basilica, which appears to be soil from Jerusalem.
Most readers of Panvinio’s book will have been familiar with the stories of Jeremiah due to his critical thoughts on the religious relations in Kingdom of Judea and the fall of Jerusalem. Therefore, by only looking slightly to the initial, a reader of Panvinio’s book already suspects a text on a subject that is related to the city of Jerusalem.
Conclusion
The Le Sette Chiese Romane, written by Panvinio, features as a case study to analyse briefly the typography of the printer Blado. Apparently, Blado used an italic type for printing books. The use of italic type was probably for economic reasons, since more text could be printed per page. Initials in early modern books, at least in some cases, convey another meaning that relates to the core text of the book. In Panvinio’s book, there appear multiple initials that portray well-known Christian figures, such as Jeremiah.
Additionally, all the codicological and typographical elements indicated that this was a book printed and published for commercial reasons by Blado. A book on a pilgrimage, published in both Latin and Italian, with an additional introduction of a translator, was a product intended to reach different kinds of audiences. Therefore, a printer and publisher, such as Blado, would probably make a wonderful profit of Panvinio’s Le Sette Chiese Romane.
Nick Pouls (1992) is a research master student in Medieval Studies at Utrecht University. His research focuses on medieval palaeography and codicology, with special attention for how manuscripts were produced and used.
Bibliography
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Book description
Short title: Onofrio Panvinio. Le Sette Chiese Romane. Rome, Antonio Blado, 1570.
Title: Le Sette Chiese Romane del R.P.F. Onofrio Panvinio Veronese. Tradotte da Marco Antonio Lanfranchi. In Roma per gli heredi di Antonio Blado 1570. Con Priuilegio.
Collation: 8°: π4 A-R8
Description: The book has a modern twentieth-century cover made out of cardboard and paper. The spine has a stamp with the name of the Royal Netherlands Institute Rome (“R. Instituto storico Olandese Roma”) on which the signature of the copy is printed. There is no title on the cover. The book has a modern binding with four sewing stations, but the book has neither a headband nor an endband.
The printed book of Panvinio has one flyleaf at the beginning and one flyleaf at end of the text block, which both have been inserted when the book was rebound. The pastedowns are both modern as well.
The modern flyleaf before the colophon has four different old signatures, written in pencil. There is also a stamp of the Royal Netherlands Institute Rome: “R. Instituto storico Olandese Roma”. At the end of the text block is a list of all the churches that are discussed by Panvinio in the book. Most of the pages have been oxidized over the years. Additionally, there are multiple small holes in some of the pages. Each new chapter has a decorated initial.
