Art of Hunting with Birds
Type:
Illuminated manuscripts
Date:
1258–66
Location or Findspot (Modern-Day Country):
Italy
Medium:
Parchment
Dimensions:
ca. 35 × 24.5 cm
Description:
Frederick II (1194–1250) wrote the first Latin treatise on falconry between 1241 and 1244. He based his Art of Hunting with Birds (De arte venandi cum avibus) on earlier texts in Arabic. Falcons are the most common bird throughout—Frederick had a passion for falconry—but there are also more general ornithological sections. The cockatoo, a bird native to southeast Asia, appears four times in the manuscript and represents diplomatic gifts sent to Frederick's court. Although the original manuscript was lost in battle, the copy reproduced here was made by Frederick's son Manfred.
Relevant Textbook Chapter(s):
8
Repository and Online Resources:
• Look through this manuscript on the Vatican Library's website.
