Libreria Antiquaria Pregliasco

23. FORTuNe TeLLING manuscript - Libro de
la Ventura. On paper, Italy, early 18th century,
€ 60.000
Folio, mm 385x270; pp. 76 (1-4 8 , 5 6 , numbered 74, the first
and the last unnumbered); contemporary binding in marbled
calf, gilt fillets on the spine. The manuscript, written in
fine steady script, is one of the rare attestations of the Libro
di Ventura, divinatory “game”, in which the player is sent to
a responsive terzina, pronounced by “prophets”. The most
well-known Libro de la Ventura was composed by Lorenzo
Gualtieri (usually known as Lorenzo Spirito) no later than
1482. According to the chosen question the player starts
from one of the kings who refers to a “sign” and to a dice’s
plate. According to the numeric result, each sphere’s dial corresponds
to a prophet who gives the response. This
manuscript is richly illustrated with popular style drawings
in ink: a Wheel of Fortune, 20 Kings, 44 Prophet’s, 20
spheres of zodiac and planets, 40 pages with combinations
of dice as well as a great number of sketches. [10563]
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