OGÓLNA CHARAKTERYSTYKA ORAZ DZIEJE RĘKOPISU „DIGESTUM VETUS CUM GLOSSIS” ZE ZBIORÓW BIBLIOTEKI KÓRNICKIEJ

The collections of the PAN Kórnik Library include one of the most interesting illuminated manuscripts of “Digestum vetus” made at the request of Emperor Justinian. The manuscript is marked by a very rich iconographic programme including 25 figurative initials and more than 230 marginal illustrations. Both types of image excellently correlate with the text of the legal manuscript and the marginal illustrations constitute a visual commentary to it. The manuscript contains a commentary by Accursius (Glossa ordinaria) as well as many earlier pre-accursian glosses. The manuscript was brought to Poland by Dziersław of Karnice, a scholaster from Płock, in the 15th century. He purchased it during his stay in Italy, where he studied law from 1469 until 1471. The manuscript spent the next 300 years in Plock, in the library of the cathedral chapter. It was subsequently purchased by Tadeusz Czacki, who added it to the collections of the Poryck Library. After a few years, the manuscript was bought by Adam Jerzy Czartoryski, who made it a part of the collections of the Puławy Library. Finally, the manuscript was brought to the Kórnik Library founded by the Działyński family.