The Bible of Borso d'Este: Christian piety and political rhetoric in quattrocento Ferrara (Italy)

The monumental, profusely illuminated Bible (Modena, Biblioteca Estense, Lat. 422–423 = V.G. 12 & 13) executed between 1455 and 1461 for Borso d'Este, papal vicar and signore of Ferrara (1450-1471), was an essential component in a coordinated program of art patronage and self-promotion that extended throughout his reign. This study investigates the intertwining themes that link the visual images to spiritual and temporal aspects of Borso's rule. The miniatures, set within a context of sacred narrative, were conceived to celebrate Borso's qualifications: his noble genealogy, superior moral virtue, and proven administrative experience.; The first portion of this study provides the historical background that determined Borso's choice of a Bible over other forms of art patronage. Commissioning an illuminated Bible included Borso in an elite group of powerful ecclesiastics and wealthy secular rulers for whom manuscripts served as material markers of political and cultural status. In addition, commissioning a Bible, the holiest of Christian texts, demonstrated Borso's piety and was certain to win favor with his papal overlord. Subsequent chapters demonstrate how the expansive display of family emblems and personal imprese that accompany the sacred text and distinguish this Bible from all others refer to Borso's noble ancestry and link him to an ideal state in which peace and prosperity reign. The inclusion of specific flora and fauna in the margins of the Bible further enhances this dynastic subtext. Metaphorical and emblematic references in the miniatures of the Old Testament link Borso with the virtues requisite for a successful ruler. More dramatic, however, is the appearance of Borso himself in the miniatures illustrating the New Testament to demonstrate his successful assimilation of the requirements of the Perfect Prince that had for centuries featured prominently in the tradition of speculum principis literature. Defining the relationship of the miniatures in the Bible to Borso's political and religious goals clarifies the motivations that influenced Borso's wider program of patronage.