The Elizabeth Perkins Prothro Bible Collection
at
Bridwell
Library
September 8 - December 12, 2009
First Vulgate with Commentary
Biblia latina cum postillis Nicolai de Lyra. Vol. 2 of 4. Venice: [Johann Herbort for] Johann von Köln, Nicholas Jenson, and Associates, 31 July 1481.
The vast commentary known as the Postillae of Nicholas of Lyra (c. 1270–1349) provided late-medieval readers with highly authoritative literal and moral interpretations of the scriptures. Whereas the Postillae were printed without the Bible text in Rome in 1471-72, this 1481 edition was the first to publish the commentary along with the text of the Vulgate. Here, the biblical text was printed in two columns of large type at the center of the page, surrounded by the Postillae printed in smaller type. The first leaf of this volume was illuminated with a floral border in the “Ferrarese” style; the emblem of the Convent of Monte Carlo in the roundel below was added later.