Viaggio da Venetia al santo Sepulchro & al monte Synai

Very Rare and Early Travelogue from Venice to the Holy Land with Numerous Woodcut Views.

Niccolò da Poggibonsi, a 14th-century Franciscan friar, embarked on a well-known pilgrimage to the Holy Land from 1345 to 1350, documented in his work Libro d'oltramare.

Originating from Poggibonsi in Tuscany, Niccolò, accompanied by seven companions (with six eventually returning home), began his journey in Venice. They sailed to Cyprus, where Niccolò served King Hugh IV for several months. He then proceeded to Jaffa, visited Jerusalem (spending four months at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre), and explored other holy sites in Palestine.

Upon his return, Niccolò penned the Libro d'oltramare, a richly detailed account of his travels. This book provides insight into the sights, road distances, tolls paid, and indulgences associated with shrines. His descriptions of buildings and cities, notably Jerusalem, reflect his four-month stay. His extensive pilgrimage, unusual for the time, resulted from his desire to visit remote and less accessible sites in Egypt, Syria, and Iraq, as well as financial challenges. Niccolò's account includes information about the destruction of the Virgin Mary's house at Nazareth and records a supposed Mongol conquest of Jerusalem in 1300, during which a gate was removed from the Temple of Jerusalem (now the Dome of the Rock) and taken to Damascus.

The Libro d'oltramare was later translated into German in 1467 by Gabriel Muffel of Nuremberg. An illuminated manuscript from 1467, based on Muffel's translation and claiming to describe his 1465 visit to the Holy Land, contains 147 miniatures. The Italian translation of Niccolò's work was anonymously published in Bologna in 1500 as Viazo da Venesia al Sancto Iherusalem. The work underwent subsequent reissues, with Zoppino taking charge from 1518 onwards. These reissues introduced modifications, including additional woodcuts not found in the original 1500 printing. Some of these new woodcuts were smaller versions of the extensive city views originally created by Erhard Reuwich for the 1486 edition of Breydenbach's Peregrinatio. Our 1529 edition contains 5 double page woodcut view (Corfu, Modon, Crete and Rhodes based on the Reuwich view, and one double page woodcut view of Cairo).

Zoppino's 1518 edition, which saw various reprints (in 1521, 1524, 1533, and 1538), is noteworthy. Unfortunately, only one or two copies of each reprint have survived, and there may have been more editions that remain unaccounted for. The 1518 edition introduced a section offering advice for pilgrims. Subsequent editions expanded on this, incorporating information from other accounts of similar voyages and including a list of Venetian parishes and convents. Notably, none of the printed editions attributed the work to Niccolò da Poggibonsi.

The title page is printed in red and black, adorned with a woodcut depiction of Jerusalem. It includes in total 158 woodcut illustrations and town views, some of which are double page. A few of these woodcuts bear the initials "Z.A." (likely referring to Zuan Andrea). Additionally, page A3 incorporates red and black printing, and a woodcut printer's emblem on the last page.

The book is bound in nineteenth-century calf-backed marbled boards, displaying some staining throughout its pages. Notably, there are inscriptions on the title page, which have been crossed out. The binding exhibits minor signs of wear. Leaf C2 is missing.

Rarity

Niccolò's pilgrimage is extremely rare and only one or two copies of each reprint have survived. EDIT16 (16th Century Italien Editions, #61052) listing one defective, incomplete copy of this 1529 edition in the Biblioteca della Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Venezia.

19th century calf-backed marbled boards. Slightly rubbed.

Some staining throughout, inscriptions crossed through on title-page, missing one leaf (C2).

Niccolò da Poggibonsi, also known as Nicolaus de Podiobonito, was a 14th-century Franciscan friar renowned for his pilgrimage to the Holy Land between 1345 and 1350. His experiences during this journey were documented in his work, Libro d'oltramare, written in Italian.

Departing from Poggibonsi in Tuscany with seven companions, Niccolò traveled to Venice and sailed to Cyprus, where he served King Hugh IV. He then journeyed to Jaffa, visited various holy sites in Jerusalem, spending four months at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and explored other locations in Palestine. While he had intended to continue to "Babylonia" and "Chaldaea" (likely Baghdad), he did not make it that far.

From Beirut, Niccolò traveled to Egypt, visiting Alexandria, Cairo, and the Sinai sites mentioned in the Old Testament, including Saint Catherine's Monastery. He proceeded to Gaza, then returned to the Nile delta, eventually sailing back to Cyprus from Damietta.

His journey continued as he boarded a ship to Italy, taking an adventurous route along the Anatolian coast of the Ottoman Empire. He encountered some difficulties during his trip, including being captured by brigands near Poreč on the Adriatic, though he managed to escape. He safely arrived in Venice in late 1349 and was detained in Ferrara until the spring of 1350, when he finally returned to Poggibonsi after five years of wandering.

Niccolò's Libro d'oltramare provided richly detailed accounts of his travels, describing the sights, distances, tolls, and indulgences associated with various shrines. His descriptions of buildings and cities, especially Jerusalem, were unusually thorough, reflecting his four-month residence there. His pilgrimage was notably extensive for the time, partly driven by his desire to visit less-frequented sites in Egypt, Syria, and Iraq, as well as financial difficulties he faced during the journey.

During his travels, Niccolò mentioned the destruction of the house of the Virgin Mary in Nazareth, possibly by the Mamelukes after 1289, and the alleged Mongol conquest of Jerusalem in 1300, noting the removal of a gate (the "Golden Gate") from the Temple of Jerusalem (now the Dome of the Rock) and its transfer to Damascus by the Mongols.

The Libro d'oltramare was translated into German around 1467 by Gabriel Muffel of Nuremberg, who may have been operating from Passau. An illuminated manuscript (Egerton 1900) of the German translation, dated 1467, purportedly described Muffel's visit to the Holy Land in 1465. The early manuscripts of Niccolò's work were unillustrated, but Egerton 1900 contained 147 miniatures. The Italian translation of the Libro d'oltramare was first published anonymously in Bologna in 1500, titled Viazo da Venesia al Sancto Iherusalem.

Unfortunately, little is known about the rest of Niccolò da Poggibonsi's life beyond his extraordinary pilgrimage and literary contributions.

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Holy Land - Poggibonsi, Niccolo da - Viaggio da Venetia al santo Sepulchro & al...