Rome reborn : the Vatican library and Renaissance culture : [to accompany an exhibition held at the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., Jan. 6-Apr. 30, 1993

Exhibition pertain to the Vatican Library. Who created the Vatician Library and how they influenced the making of the Library. The Vatican Library contains the richest collection of western manuscripts and early printed books in the world, and its holdings have both reflected and helped to shape the intellectual development of Europe. One of the central institutions of Italian Renaissance culture, it has served since its origin in the mid-fifteenth century as a center of research for topics as diverse as the early history of the city of Rome and the structure of the universe. This extraordinarily beautiful book which contains over 200 color illustrations, introduces the reader to the Vatican Library and examines in particular its development during the Renaissance. Distinguished scholars discuss the Library's holdings and the historical circumstances of its growth, presenting a fascinating cast of characters - popes, artists, collectors, scholars, and scientists - who influenced how the Library evolved. The authors examine subjects ranging from Renaissance humanism to Church relations with China and the Islamic world to the status of medicine and the life sciences in antiquity and during the Renaissance. Their essays are supported by a lavish display of maps, books, prints, and other examples of the Library's collection, including the Palatine Virgil (a fifth-century manuscript), a letter from King Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn, and an autographed poem by Petrarch. The book serves as the catalog for a major exhibition at the Library of Congress that presents a selection of the Vatican Library's magnificent treasures The Vatican And Its Library / Anthony Grafton -- The Popes And Humanism / James Hankins -- The Ancient City Restored : Archaeology, Ecclesiastical History, And Egyptology / Anthony Grafton -- The Recovery Of The Exact Sciences Of Antiquity : Mathematics, Astronomy, Geography / N.m. Swerdlow -- Life Sciences And Medicine In The Renaissance World / Nancy G. Siraisi -- Music And The Renaissance Papacy : The Papal Choir And The Fondo Cappella Sistina / Richard Sherr -- Eastern Churches And Western Scholarship / Alastair Hamilton -- Paper Obelisks : East Asia In The Vatican Vaults / Howard L. Goodman. Edited By Anthony Grafton. Catalog Of An Exhibition To Be Held At The Library Of Congress, Washington, D.c., Jan. 6-apr. 30, 1993. ... First In A Series Of Exhibitions That The Library Of Congress Plans To Present About Great Libraries Of The World--preface. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 305-312) And Index. An introduction to the Vatican Library, examining in particular its development during the Renaissance. The text discusses the Library's holdings and the historical circumstances of its growth, presenting portraits of popes, artists, scholars and collectors who influenced its evolution. xxvi, 323 p. : 31 cm Catalog of an exhibition to be held at the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., Jan. 6-Apr. 30, 1993 Includes bibliographical references (p. 305-312) and index