84. "Rectification of the Law", the most important codex of laws appearing in the Romanian Provinces in the Middle Ages, Târgoviște, 1652, very rare copy

Starting price

EUR 900

Sold

EUR 4.000

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Session

Tue, 6 February 2024 19:00

Together with the Bucharest Bible, from 1688, and Varlaam's Homiliary, from 1643, "The Correction of the Law" represents one of the most valuable monuments of Romanian Humanism, being the most important codex of laws published in the Middle Ages in the Romanian Lands. As the preface says, it is the Great Rule of the Land, with "all the episcopal and imperial judgment", intended for both the clergy and the laity, the people and their guides. The writing was translated from Greek, with the effort, diligence and expense of the Metropolitan Stephen of the Romanian Land, in the printing house of the Ruler Matei Basarab. On the verso of the title page begins the preface of the monk Daniil Panoneanul, on the verso of f. (2) is the coat of arms of the Metropolitan of the Romanian Land, followed by verses, then the preface to the book of Metropolitan Stephen and the content of the codex. This book is, equally, a monument of Romanian graphic art, which stands out with its careful bicolor print, hundreds of ornate initials, lavish frontispieces and large, original engravings, representing synods, the Wallachian coat of arms or the Right Judgment. Due to constant, long-term use, in the Romanian world, today a small number of copies are preserved, most of them are damaged and incomplete. Almost all the Rules of the land contain usage or ownership notes due to the logothetes in charge of applying the laws.

Dimensions

width 19.5 cm, height 28 cm

Research information

BRV, I, p. 61

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