The poetical vernacular cycles

[Huck]

I did really fight for this little piece of personal insight ... just adding a few things together. Naturally it needs further improvements. It's roughly outlined to make the major movement easy to understand - and especially to understand Pulci's position.


***
1432: Burchiello had his barber shop and poetical fans around them. These persons are mostly anti-Medicean.
Between them are Leon Battista Alberti, Leonardo Dati and also Mariotto Davanzati, who 1441 participated in the poetical competition.

1434: Burchiello has to go to exile, when Cosimo comes back from exile - as many others. Burchiello stayed in exile till his death, although Cosimo tried to get him back to Florence since ca. 1447.
The Medici try now to control the university, which likely means, that they focus on "Latin language" developments

1441, October: The poetical competition takes place, likely according to an earlier idea of Lorenzo il Vecchio de Medici (who had died one year ago), now under the patronage of Pietro de Medici. Leon Battista Alberti is given as the initiator.

One source claims, that there were 8 poets participating, another states, that there were 14. Checking various sources, which all present different lists, I've now ...

Benedetto Aretino (Benedetto di Michele d'Arezzo), dottore

Michel da Gigante (Michele di Noferi del Gigante) (? identical to Michele de Giorgante, a prefered poet of Lucrezia Turnabuoni ?)

Francesco Altobianco (Francesco Altobianci Alberti)
- "Sacrosancta, immortal, celeste e degna"

Antonio Allio, (Antonio degli Alti), (Antonio Alli), canon, afterwards Bishop of Fiesole, - poet

Mariotto Davanzati (Marriotto d'Arigo Davanzati) - poet
- places his "capitolo" under the dual influence of two lights (= Dante + Petrarch), "duo sacri lumi", belonged to Burchiello cycle

Anselmo Calderoni - poet, araldo
- "Benché si dica nel volgar parlare"; mentions Dante and makes a standard
competition Vergil-Homer

Francesco Malecarni (Francesco di Buonanno Malecarni)

Leonardo Dati - humanist (belonged to Burchiello cycle)
- "I'son Mercurio, di tutto l'olimpico regno"

Benedetto Accolti (?)- humanist

Alberti - humanist, belonged to Burchiello cycle

Ciriaco Pizzicolli (Ciriaco d'Ancona)
- "Quel Sir, che socto l'ideale stampa"


... I've 11 names now.

Each poet should write in vernacular and offer something to the theme "De amicitia" ("About Friendship") ... it seems, that the choice of this this theme tried to effect, that the internal literary debates in Florence stayed peaceful, for instance the debate between the vernacular and the Latin direction.

The judgment for the winner were done by some monks of San Marco, however they decided, that everybody was wonderful and gave the price to an institution of the church. This naturally disappointed the participants (however, the monks avoided envy between the poets and further possible trouble; this danger was always a very concrete problem in Florence).

Alberti was disappointed, too, and planned to make another competition. However, he departed in 1443 to Rome and left Florence, and the plan never realised.

1452: Mariotto Davanzati marries the sister of the Pulci brothers ... generally one should wonder, which effect caused, why 3 Pulci-brothers and a wife of the 3 brothers became involved in poetry. Considering the existence of Mariotti Davanzati in this family, it seems logical to assume, that Michelotti played the role of the literary Guru to the Pulci-brothers, as it was earlier played by Burchiello for himself and others. Naturally this is a vernacular group.

1461 - 1469: The young Lorenzo de Medici's brigade, a couple of rather young Florentian around the Medici heir, develops poetical inspiration. Between them is Luigi Pulci focussed, much older as the rest of the brigade. Now Luigi Pulci is the poetical Guru.
In a distance to this young band is another old scholar group, which has it's logical center Pietro de Medici. Likely both groups observe each other with some suspicion, and from the younger side, likely with some expressed youthful mockery. Naturally the scholar group is a Latin group (platonical academy) and the young group is a vernacular group. Between both groups is the young Politiano.
The young group has two remarkable heads: Lorenzo de Medici himself and his brother-in-law (since 1466) Bernardo Rucellai.

1474-1476: The clash between the young group and the older group leads to Pulci's banishment from Florence. Bernardo Rucellai never really engages in the inner platonical academy in this time.
It's Pulci's "Morgante", which gives the impulse to Boiardo and to the court of Ferrara, which in the later 80's starts with vernacular pieces for the theatre.
The new literary Guru in Florence is Marsilio Ficino with his platonical academy

Pulci dies 1484, Lorenzo dies 1492. Bernardo di Rucellai then becomes The new center of literature in Florence ... he gathers the poets in the Rucellai garden in Florence, also called "Orti Oricellari" ... after 1498 it's also called platonical academy.

 

[Ross G Caldwell]

Hi Huck,

could you summarize the importance of this for people who haven't a clue what you're talking about?

Not me of course ( )

As I see it, it is that -

1) the poet-barber Burchiello mentions "minchiatar" and "trionfi" in one of his poems in the 1430s;

2) Pulci mentions "minchiate" as a game in one of his letters to Lorenzo di Medici in 1466

3) you have shown how these are all plausibly connected

is that the gist of it?

Ross

 

[Huck]

is that the gist of it?

Ross

... ... the literary development in Florence stands for itself and needn't really a Trionfi card involvement to be a topic.

But naturally the Trionfi card development was creative action and when we serach for correct dates for the Charles VI deck made in Florence we must have some insight about the creative potential in this city ... and naturally this were poets (also painters, but these were not so creative in the early times and followed the instructions of their commissioners).

Well... I argument for ca. 1463 for the Charles VI. deck. Ca 1463 means the creative potential of the Lorenzo-Pulci-brigade. So Pulci is a topic for Tarot research and one has to see his position in the general literary devolopment.

Burchiello was a somehow dadaistic poet ... just to make a modern comparition. A "wild" element ... Pulci was his heir, less "wild", but still difficult for the literary establishment. He ironized the Latin clique around Ficino. Unluckily he was of great influence on the young Lorenzo, which was not a problem, when Piero still lived. But when Piero died and Lorenzo got the command (and the decision about sponsoring money), Pulci became a problem.
He was criticised, gave a few words back, got another attack cause these words and so on. That happened 1474 - 76 ... finally Pulci was outsider, banned from Florence. Naturally Pulci found that this was not a decision according his taste.

This envy between poets and scholars in Florence had tradition, as the city had so much potential. So the really good places were rare.

The situation is so: In 1463 a repeated allowance of the Trionfi game is given by the city council. The first allowance happened 1450. In 1466 Pulci in a letter to Lorenzo speaks of the Minchiate game (1471 and 1477 this game is mentioned in other contexts).
So we have to assume, that something happened between 1463 and 1466, which changed the game, which was played in Florence as Trionfi-game. This developed game was called Minchiate then.

Between 1463 and 1466 Lorenzo was 14-17 years old, the right age, when card-playing was interesting in this time for young men. Lorenzo had a brigade around him (Brigata), in our time we perhaps would say, he had a gang of other young noble men, between them the crazy Pulci, who made them have fun with poetry. As Socrates with Platon and all these others made them have fun with philosophy.

I think, the Charles VI is a deck made for the 14th birthdate of Lorenzo (which possibly caused the 2nd allowance) and it had 16 trumps. The Minchiate development should have taken place after it. The deck of 1450 should have had an Eastern and a Western Emperor, which is missing as a motif in the 1463 deck and reappeared later in the Minchiate.

 

[Ross G Caldwell]

Hi Huck,

I think, the Charles VI is a deck made for the 14th birthdate of Lorenzo (which possibly caused the 2nd allowance) and it had 16 trumps. The Minchiate development should have taken place after it. The deck of 1450 should have had an Eastern and a Western Emperor, which is missing as a motif in the 1463 deck and reappeared later in the Minchiate.

I'd hesitate to jump to such a specific conclusion. There is nothing in the cards that suggests Medici directly; even a Florentine provenance can only be argued by comparison with other decks of cards and similar art of *known* Florentine provenance. And the Medici family was not the only family to commission art in Florence. Look at Baskins' book "Cassone Painting, Humanism and Gender in Early Modern Italy" (you can look inside at amazon.com), and she gives 59 illustrations from about 20 different artists and 20 or 30 cassoni, most of which were made for *unknown* patrons. We can't even tell from this very intimate and expensive art form, made for a specific occasion (weddings) who they were made for - how can we tell from this pack of cards, with no personal or family indications at all, and no hint of an occasion, who they were made for?

There is simply no way to reasonably reach the conclusion that the Charles VI cards were made for Lorenzo di Medici. It's a very big jump.

Ross

 

[Huck]

Hi Huck,

I'd hesitate to jump to such a specific conclusion. There is nothing in the cards that suggests Medici directly; even a Florentine provenance can only be argued by comparison with other decks of cards and similar art of *known* Florentine provenance.

As I already argued ... the chariot-triumphator is a young man and the chariot is decorated with "7 palle". The Medici had "7 palle" till 1465 as heraldic sign, 1465 it was changed to 6 palle.
I know these 7 palle only as a theory, but from more than one side. Actually I would like to see examples.

Generally the Medici in the early time of Cosimo were reluctant to show too much family-pride, as this might have caused hurted republican feelings in Florence.

I agree, that it can't be excluded with 100 % security, that these points are only decoration.

And the Medici family was not the only family to commission art in Florence. Look at Baskins' book "Cassone Painting, Humanism and Gender in Early Modern Italy" (you can look inside at amazon.com), and she gives 59 illustrations from about 20 different artists and 20 or 30 cassoni, most of which were made for *unknown* patrons.

The cassone were made for practical use, especially as cassone for marriages treasures of the bride. That is a normal use of rich classes. Generally there were a lot of rich families in Florence, not only the Medici.
Perhaps the preference in Florence for the motifs of Petrarca (Love and Fame) had the character of a specific Medicean attribute, as possibly people declared with such adaptian, that they regarded themselves in the political sense as Mediceans.

We can't even tell from this very intimate and expensive art form, made for a specific occasion (weddings) who they were made for - how can we tell from this pack of cards, with no personal or family indications at all, and no hint of an occasion, who they were made for?

We've an indication of the date, when we assume, that the astronomers were Toscanelli and Regiomontanus. The physiognomie of Toscanelli was rather special. Regiomontanus arrived in Italy in 1461. When we accept the giant fool as "Morgante" ... Pulci started to write about this figure in 1461 and had reached more than the half in 1462.
The 16 cards solve their riddle as a complete deck. Inside this composition it seems, that the cards sun, moon and Fool were for Florentine specíalities.

There is simply no way to reasonably reach the conclusion that the Charles VI cards were made for Lorenzo di Medici. It's a very big jump.

It's not a big jump, as the suspicion, that Lorenzo was involved in card production activities, existed since long years, already since 1989, the beginnings of the 5x14-theory. Without any involvement of the Charles VI deck. It was occasionally discussed at LTarot.
Even the letter of Pulci to Lorenzo was only an additional confirming news, which entered with the Pratesi's studies.

 

[Huck]

I should add here for 1463/64 in Florence:

Cosimo had the plan to send Lorenzo de Medici on a "triumphal" journey to the various courts - similar as Galeazzo Maria was send to Milan in 1457. Especially he should travel to Milan, somehow to get some similar honors as Galeazzo Maria at his visit in Florence in April/May 1459.

Likely that was the reason for this Charles VI deck.

But Cosimo became sick and finally died 1464, at least this journey never realised. The replacement journey in May/June 1465 of Lorenzo hadn't the same status, as the main project of this time was the marriage of Ippolita and the heir of Naples, Lorenzo was then only a background guest.

 

[Rosanne]

Hi Huck- your posts have made me think of why the Charles V1 cards could be called the Medici cards
So I have thinking....
Not the date but the images...
Take the world card
Originally Florence was divided into 6 Districts then 1343 into Quarters indicated by the 4 Churches San Giovanni, Santa Maria Novella, Santa Croce, Santo Spiritu- then they were ruled in a practical way by 16 Gonfaloni -4 for each Gonfalons or districts of the churches. Santo Spirito 4 Gonfalons were called Drago Verdi/ Ferza/nicchio/secila. Gonfalon had a banner and coat of arms and Saint. They kept order, lit the streets and rendered Justice. This But the Church (the duomo) was firstly called Saint Reparta who was the co- patron Saint of Florence along with John the Baptist. Cosimo Medici bought back the horse races around his district and they were called the 'Bravio of Saint Reparata". http://www.icvbc.cnr.it/bivi/eng/schede/Toscana/Firenze/immagini/5scroce_reparata.jpg
The companies or Gonfaloni were the guild type districts that manned the floats for processions and parades and were like 'event organisers' and were used by the Medici family for great events- like Lorenzo's joust.
So I think the world card depicts Saint Reparata , the Company of the Green Dragon and the Bravio and Pageant That Pope Sixtus attended maybe. I think it would have to be after Constantinople fell as that seems to be what the Death card depicts and seems to be something to do with the Council of Florence- the union of East and west to combat the Ottomans. The fool looks like a Saracen who has Rosary beads from Prayer beads- whether that is Morgante I am not sure. The ears remind me of story of Midas mixed up with a saracen Giant.
The time of year would be October for the Bravio of Saint Reparata. It might have been dedicated to Saturn as Lorenzo's joust and race was dedicated to Mars.
It is enjoyable this Charles V1 card mystery tour!
~Rosanne

 

[Huck]

Hi Huck- your posts have made me think of why the Charles V1 cards could be called the Medici cards
So I have thinking....
Not the date but the images...
Take the world card
Originally Florence was divided into 6 Districts then 1343 into Quarters indicated by the 4 Churches San Giovanni, Santa Maria Novella, Santa Croce, Santo Spiritu- then they were ruled in a practical way by 16 Gonfaloni -4 for each Gonfalons or districts of the churches. Santo Spirito 4 Gonfalons were called Drago Verdi/ Ferza/nicchio/secila. Gonfalon had a banner and coat of arms and Saint. They kept order, lit the streets and rendered Justice. This But the Church (the duomo) was firstly called Saint Reparta who was the co- patron Saint of Florence along with John the Baptist. Cosimo Medici bought back the horse races around his district and they were called the 'Bravio of Saint Reparata". http://www.icvbc.cnr.it/bivi/eng/schede/Toscana/Firenze/immagini/5scroce_reparata.jpg
The companies or Gonfaloni were the guild type districts that manned the floats for processions and parades and were like 'event organisers' and were used by the Medici family for great events- like Lorenzo's joust.
So I think the world card depicts Saint Reparata , the Company of the Green Dragon and the Bravio and Pageant That Pope Sixtus attended maybe. I think it would have to be after Constantinople fell as that seems to be what the Death card depicts and seems to be something to do with the Council of Florence- the union of East and west to combat the Ottomans. The fool looks like a Saracen who has Rosary beads from Prayer beads- whether that is Morgante I am not sure. The ears remind me of story of Midas mixed up with a saracen Giant.
The time of year would be October for the Bravio of Saint Reparata. It might have been dedicated to Saturn as Lorenzo's joust and race was dedicated to Mars.
It is enjoyable this Charles V1 card mystery tour!
~Rosanne

Well ...
if we have Florence decide 1343 (as you said) for 16 destricts, but Filippo Maria Visconti in Milan decide for 16 trumps in ca 1425 (or better 1418 - 1425) in his new game (Michelino-deck) and again for a 16 trumps game with the Cary-Yale ....

... then we've the decision for the 16 (in relation to a card-game) in Milan, not in Florence.

Florence in 1423 (perhaps already earlier) made something with 8 (Imperatori) cards.

All the time between 1425 - 1449 the relations between Florence-Milan were stressed (small breaks only) ... but this changed in 1450. Also Florence' card development was handicaped by Pope Eugen inside the city walls ( ... actually one might see, that perhaps there were hopes, that Florence would become a second Italian Avignon for some times) and this pope strictly was against playing cards.

Francesco Sforza was the candidate of Florence (at least from Cosimo's side) as a ruler in Milan.

In 1450 Florence could express friendship towards Milan ... so they could follow a perhaps existent card game in Milan in its structure. Funny enough this card game had 16 trumps, as much as the city had destricts.

The annual Giovanni-the-Baptist festivities naturally so might have had "16 groups" totally, already before. If these festivities already had 16 chariots ... one doesn't know.
The famous Alfonso-Trionfo had totally 4 charots, if I count correct:

1. Alfonso himself, with 20 Napolese Patriziens carrying a baldachin.
2. Fortuna
3. Julius Caesar
4. The Tower

Alfonso's festivity in 1423 used totally 3 chariots, the Elephant and two attacking vehicle's

From these observation it seems unlikely to expect for instance 16 chariots for Florence 1441.

But (without much evidence for it) we've read about 22 "edificii" for 1454 in the Giovanni festivities, which were reduced by Lorenzo to 10 in 1470 as "too expensive" (our informations are contradictious and we ourselves wouldn't guarantee on that; this needs more research and finding the "right book").

If we could set "number of edificii" = Number of chariots ... but likely one can't do so ... and somehow it might have been each year a little different, according simple practical matters.
However, it seems, that each destrict contributed ... so each with one of the "edificii". But some of the destricts were rich and other had less money. So perhaps these "edificii" could be rather different.

The general advantage of the day of Giovanni: it's more or less the shortest night and the longest day of the year. And the day should be warm and pleasant, but not hot as the days in August.

Well, it would nice to find a book with really good informations to this festivity in Florence.

 

[Rosanne]

That makes it clearer for me thanks Huck. You say 'attacking vehicles'? You do not mean rock throwing ones do you?
If you do mean rock throwing ones that would be funny for the Fool card, who has the Ass ears hat and the sling of rocks for firing an Onager/onagrus (wild donkey) machine. It would also make a nice pun on the Vaticano. Wild ass is in old Italian Asino Salvatico (now asino salvaggio in Italian) It would seem like a joke about the Pope and the Crusade pleas - stupid wood (forest) of points- we would say in English "you can't see the wood for the trees"
The other thing I was curious about is why not the Roman Poet Ovid- why does no one mention him as an influence to images of these times? Why always Petrarch and Dante?
There are some books about festivities/games and dances in Renaissance Florence and the Library is searching them out for me. As soon as I have them I will see if they help.
ooops one more thing- why do these Trumps have to be serious philosophical ideas- why not a big joke for a laugh whilst playing for points? I look at lots of cards before Levi grabbed them and some are seriously funny.

 

[Huck]

That makes it clearer for me thanks Huck. You say 'attacking vehicles'? You do not mean rock throwing ones do you?
If you do mean rock throwing ones that would be funny for the Fool card, who has the Ass ears hat and the sling of rocks for firing an Onager/onagrus (wild donkey) machine. It would also make a nice pun on the Vaticano. Wild ass is in old Italian Asino Salvatico (now asino salvaggio in Italian) It would seem like a joke about the Pope and the Crusade pleas - stupid wood (forest) of points- we would say in English "you can't see the wood for the trees"
The other thing I was curious about is why not the Roman Poet Ovid- why does no one mention him as an influence to images of these times? Why always Petrarch and Dante?
There are some books about festivities/games and dances in Renaissance Florence and the Library is searching them out for me. As soon as I have them I will see if they help.

"Attacking chariots" ... I described the few informations that I have to this event of 1423 in these days somewhere.
Some triumphal festivities used a "fighting game" in the manner of "public theatre" ... so there was no real fight, but a show. In the 1423 the two attacking cars ("the devil's team") used fire-work and exploding bombs, the other team had one chariot with an elephant, a magician and sarazenes.

Francesco Sforza also organised a fighting game in August 1453, a fight between Romans and Volskers, if I remember correctly. Also "artificial fight" ...

Naturally tournaments had also included "real fights", the usual knight competitions. Another element were real "animals fights", for instance used April-May 1459 in Florence (with lions). The Palio (horse races) was another element of "real fights".

... .... Nowadays these are our soccer- or American-Football-games. The cheerleaders are show, but the goals are "real goals"

Charles VI Fool:
The "sling of rocks" is a "sling of bells", I would guess ... interestingly the weapon of Morgante is the clapper of a large bell.

Ovid:
We see as central theme for the Michelino deck the Daphne theme ... that naturally touches Ovid's Metamorphosis
Daphne constantly reappears in the Trionfi (not naturally the cards)

Dapne is Laura and Laura is the female form of Lorenzo and Daphne/Laura is the "crown of the poet", poetus laureatus, connected to Apollo ... constantly reappearing till "Daphne", first opera in Florence 1586, shown during Carnival.

The combination between singing and Trionfi show was already given in 1423 (Alfonso) and 1443 (also Alfonso) and it was present in carnival processions with carnival songs in Florence, from which a good part was written by Lorenzo himself.

Lorenzo and Ficino knew to play music play with instruments personally.

... ... when we here write our silent emails, we shouldn't forget, that the theme "Trionfi" were life shows with music, drinking and much other noise ...

ooops one more thing- why do these Trumps have to be serious philosophical ideas- why not a big joke for a laugh whilst playing for points? I look at lots of cards before Levi grabbed them and some are seriously funny.

Yes, indeed, that's also my observation, that some people miss Rhenanian humour in this theme ...