Reflections on Bindings: Decorative Roll
Institutionum : seu elementorum d. Iustiniani … libri quatvor … [Institutes: or elements of Justinian … four volumes…]. Nuremberg: apvd Io. Petreium, 1529.
This binding has a decorative roll depicting Biblical scenes which were identified from the text captions. Using RTI images of the bindings, Karen Jutzi transcribed the text and found the biblical passages from which the phrases derived. Fionnuala Gerrity then searched for other decorative tools containing similar text.
The text on the panels from the decorative roll reads, from left to right:
ECCE VIRGO CONCIPIET
“Behold a virgin shall conceive” There fore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14
APSORBTA EST MORS [IN VICTORIA]
“Death was swallowed up [in victory] When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortal, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory. 1 Corinthians 15:54
IPSE PECC(A)TA NOSTRA TULIT [IN CORPORE SUO…]
“He himself bore our sins [on his body…]” He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness, by this wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24
–Notes by Fionnuala Gerrity, and text identification by Karen Jutzi
“Reflections on Bindings: Using New Imaging Technology to Study Historical Bindings,” is on display from February 3 - May 24, 2014, on Level L2 in the Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale Law School. The curators are Chief Conservator Christine McCarthy and Conservation Assistants Fionnuala Gerrity, Ansley Joe, and Karen Jutzi, Yale University Library.
