De proprietatibus rerum (1488) — Gallery of Early Printed Books

Opening of the prohemium — Opening of the work: "Prohemium de proprietatibus rerum fratris Bartholomei anglici ordinis fratrum minorum feliciter incipit," set in two columns of gothic textura with the large opening initial left for rubrication (f. 7r).

"Nomina autorum quorum scripta hic tractant" — the list of authorities Bartholomaeus excerpts, from Augustinus, Ambrosius and Beda through Aristoteles, Avicenna and Galen to "Zoroastes magus" and "Albumazar," closing "Explicit tabula generalis."

Opening of Liber secundus, De proprietatibus angelorum — Start of Book II, "Liber secundus … Capitulum secundum, Quid sit angelus," on the properties of the angels — typical of the encyclopaedia's book-and-chapter structure, with running head and reserved initial (f. 11r).

Alphabetical subject index — A leaf of the alphabetical "Tabula generalis," densely set in three columns with folio references, indexing entries by book (here within Liber decimus and following) — the apparatus that made the work usable as a reference book.

1 / 4

A medieval encyclopedia reprinted dozens of times across Europe in multiple languages throughout the 15th century, making it arguably the most widely owned reference book of the incunabula period. Its repeated reprinting across many presses is evidence of the printing industry's reach and commercial ambition.

De proprietatibus rerum

Details

Facsimiles

Images

References