Canonici Manuscripts
Item
Country
GB
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
eng
Contact information: postal address
Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3BG
Contact information: phone number
0044 1865 277162 (reader services)
0044 (0)1865 277150 (special collections)
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
reader.services@bodleian.ox.ac.uk (reader services)
specialcollections.bookings@bodleian.ox.ac.uk (special collections)
Reference number
MS. Canon.
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Canonici Manuscripts
Title (official language of the state)
Canonici Manuscripts
Language of title
eng
Creator / accumulator
Matteo Luigi Canonici
Date note
8th century/18th century
Language(s)
ara
cat
dut
fra
gre
heb
ita
lat
spa
yid
Extent
146.08 linear metres (1328 boxes)
Type of material
Cartographic Material
Textual Material
Scope and content
This collection is composed of manuscripts from the collection of Matteo Luigi Canonici (1727-1807), including works in several languages, such as Hebrew, Greek, Italian, Latin, and many others. The collection contains numerous Hebrew bibles, Latin bibles, theological and philosophical works, sermons, kabbalistic treatises, medical texts, astrological texts, prayer books, books of hours, letters, and several classic literary works, among others. It also includes a rich assortment of Hebrew manuscripts produced in the Iberian Peninsula, such as the following:
MS. Canon. Or. 80 (Neubauer 1478): David Kimhi's Sefer ha-Shorashim, produced in Spain between the last quarter of the 13th century and the first quarter of the 14th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 50 (Neubauer 2097): Hebrew translation of Avicenna's Canon (books 1 and 5) produced in Spain between the last quarter of the 13th century and the first quarter of the 14th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 66 (Neubauer 1369): Hebrew translation of Aristotle's De Animalibus produced in Spain or Provence between the last quarter of the 13th century and the first quarter of the 14th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 72 (Neubauer 652): Nachmanides's Torat ha-Adam produced in Spain in the last quarter of the 13th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 78 (Neubauer 568): Maimonides' Mishneh Torah produced in Spain in 1284.
MS. Canon. Or. 84 (Neubauer 94): Hebrew Bible produced in Spain, dated 1305.
MS. Canon. Or. 41a (Neubauer 33): Pentateuch with Hafṭarot produced in Spain, dating from the 14th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 54 (Neubauer 126): Commentary on Job by Zerahiah ben Isaac Gracian produced in Spain, dating from the 14th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 92 (Neubauer 2131): Nathan ben Joel Falaquera's Tsori ha-guf (Balm for the Body), dating from the 14th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 94 (Neubauer 7), MS. Canon. Or. 34 (Neubauer 42), and MS. Canon. Or. 37-40 (Neubauer 6): Hebrew Bibles produced in Spain, dating from the 14th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 67 (Neubauer 2391): David Kimhi's Sefer ha-Shorashim produced in Lisbon in 1378.
MS. Canon. Or. 88 (Neubauer 2101): a Hebrew translation of Avicenna's Canon, translated in Spain by Yosef Lorki and Nathan ha-Amiti, dating from the first quarter of the 15th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 64 (S.C. 20418): a commentary on Torah produced in Spain in the first quarter of the 15th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 77 (Neubauer 51): a Pentateuch with Hafṭarot and Five Scrolls, produced in Berlanga, Spain, in 1455.
MS. Canon. Or. 42 (Neubauer 31): Pentateuch with Haftarot and Five Scrolls, produced in Moura (Portugal) in 1470.
MS. Canon. Or. 109 (Neubauer 108): Miscellany containing a Judeo-Spanish Mahzor, dating from the 15th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 21 (Neubauer 1434): Joseph Ben Shem Tov's commentary on Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, produced in Spain in the last quarter of the 15th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 24 (Neubauer 1137): a Sephardic-rite Sidur produced in Catalonia in the last quarter of the 15th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 108: a Haggadah for Pésah dated 1485.
MS. Canon. Or. 101 (Neubauer 65): Haftarot for the entire year, written in Guadalajara (Spain) in 1487.
MS. Canonici Or. 6 (Neubauer 2001): Judeo-Spanish translation of Ariosto's Orlando furioso, produced in Turkey in the last quarter of the 16th century.
Digital copies are available online:
MS. Canon. Or. 80 (Neubauer 1478): David Kimhi's Sefer ha-Shorashim, produced in Spain between the last quarter of the 13th century and the first quarter of the 14th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 50 (Neubauer 2097): Hebrew translation of Avicenna's Canon (books 1 and 5) produced in Spain between the last quarter of the 13th century and the first quarter of the 14th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 66 (Neubauer 1369): Hebrew translation of Aristotle's De Animalibus produced in Spain or Provence between the last quarter of the 13th century and the first quarter of the 14th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 72 (Neubauer 652): Nachmanides's Torat ha-Adam produced in Spain in the last quarter of the 13th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 78 (Neubauer 568): Maimonides' Mishneh Torah produced in Spain in 1284.
MS. Canon. Or. 84 (Neubauer 94): Hebrew Bible produced in Spain, dated 1305.
MS. Canon. Or. 41a (Neubauer 33): Pentateuch with Hafṭarot produced in Spain, dating from the 14th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 54 (Neubauer 126): Commentary on Job by Zerahiah ben Isaac Gracian produced in Spain, dating from the 14th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 92 (Neubauer 2131): Nathan ben Joel Falaquera's Tsori ha-guf (Balm for the Body), dating from the 14th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 94 (Neubauer 7), MS. Canon. Or. 34 (Neubauer 42), and MS. Canon. Or. 37-40 (Neubauer 6): Hebrew Bibles produced in Spain, dating from the 14th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 67 (Neubauer 2391): David Kimhi's Sefer ha-Shorashim produced in Lisbon in 1378.
MS. Canon. Or. 88 (Neubauer 2101): a Hebrew translation of Avicenna's Canon, translated in Spain by Yosef Lorki and Nathan ha-Amiti, dating from the first quarter of the 15th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 64 (S.C. 20418): a commentary on Torah produced in Spain in the first quarter of the 15th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 77 (Neubauer 51): a Pentateuch with Hafṭarot and Five Scrolls, produced in Berlanga, Spain, in 1455.
MS. Canon. Or. 42 (Neubauer 31): Pentateuch with Haftarot and Five Scrolls, produced in Moura (Portugal) in 1470.
MS. Canon. Or. 109 (Neubauer 108): Miscellany containing a Judeo-Spanish Mahzor, dating from the 15th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 21 (Neubauer 1434): Joseph Ben Shem Tov's commentary on Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, produced in Spain in the last quarter of the 15th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 24 (Neubauer 1137): a Sephardic-rite Sidur produced in Catalonia in the last quarter of the 15th century.
MS. Canon. Or. 108: a Haggadah for Pésah dated 1485.
MS. Canon. Or. 101 (Neubauer 65): Haftarot for the entire year, written in Guadalajara (Spain) in 1487.
MS. Canonici Or. 6 (Neubauer 2001): Judeo-Spanish translation of Ariosto's Orlando furioso, produced in Turkey in the last quarter of the 16th century.
Digital copies are available online:
Archival history
After the death of Matteo Luigi Canonici, his collections were inherited by his brother Giuseppe, and on his death, in 1807, by his nephews Giovanni Perissinotti and Girolamo Cardina, who divided them. Perissinotti was in possession of Canonici's manuscripts, then about 3,550 units. After many attempts to sell them, the Bodleian Library purchase the greater part of the manuscript collection for about £6,030 in 1817. This was the largest single purchase ever made by the Library. The formal list of volumes handed over was signed on May 18, 1817, and the books probably arrived later that year. In 1821, a few additional Canonici manuscripts were sold in London by public auction. In 1835, the Rev. Walter Sneyd, of Denton House, Cuddleston, purchased all manuscripts that remained in Italy (915 units), including a valuable geographical work by Marino Sanuto.
Administrative / Biographical history
Matteo Luigi Canonici (1727-1805) was born in Venice on August 5, 1727. He completed his first studies in Bologna, where he entered the Society of Jesus in 1743. He pronounced his first vows in Piacenza and later he moved to Ferrara, where he taught in the Jesuit college of this city. At the end of 1748, he returned to Bologna and entered the college of S. Lucia. Canonici was ordained priest in 1757.
As Academicus (director of studies) in the college of St. Catherine at Parma, he met men of great erudition and culture who earned him admission to the Accademia degli Scelti. During this time, Canonici started to form his first collection of coins and books. He was particularly interested in the history of Italian cities. However, after the banishment of Jesuits in the kingdom of Naples and the duchy of Parma in 1768, his collection was confiscated. Then, he returned to the college of S. Lucia in Bologna, where he remained until the suppression of the Society of Jesus in 1773. During his time in Bologna, Canonici assembled a collection of paintings on sacred subjects, which also ended up being sold after orders of his superior Iacopo Belgrade, who considered that the possession of such a gallery did not suit the humility of the religious condition.
After the suppression of the Society, Canonici retired to Venice, where he dedicated himself to studying history and collecting coins, statuary, printed books and manuscripts. Thus, he reconstituted a new library in Venice resulting from research in Italy and abroad, namely in Vienna, Brussels, Petersburg, Constantinople and other places. For instance, he acquired the collections of the duke of Modena, and the library of Giacomo Soranzo of Venice.
In 1798, Canonici was called to become the director of the Palatine Library of Parma. Even after asking to be exonerated in 1799, he remained as interim librarian until the end of 1803. He died at Treviso in September 1805 without leaving a will.
As Academicus (director of studies) in the college of St. Catherine at Parma, he met men of great erudition and culture who earned him admission to the Accademia degli Scelti. During this time, Canonici started to form his first collection of coins and books. He was particularly interested in the history of Italian cities. However, after the banishment of Jesuits in the kingdom of Naples and the duchy of Parma in 1768, his collection was confiscated. Then, he returned to the college of S. Lucia in Bologna, where he remained until the suppression of the Society of Jesus in 1773. During his time in Bologna, Canonici assembled a collection of paintings on sacred subjects, which also ended up being sold after orders of his superior Iacopo Belgrade, who considered that the possession of such a gallery did not suit the humility of the religious condition.
After the suppression of the Society, Canonici retired to Venice, where he dedicated himself to studying history and collecting coins, statuary, printed books and manuscripts. Thus, he reconstituted a new library in Venice resulting from research in Italy and abroad, namely in Vienna, Brussels, Petersburg, Constantinople and other places. For instance, he acquired the collections of the duke of Modena, and the library of Giacomo Soranzo of Venice.
In 1798, Canonici was called to become the director of the Palatine Library of Parma. Even after asking to be exonerated in 1799, he remained as interim librarian until the end of 1803. He died at Treviso in September 1805 without leaving a will.
Sources:
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
Access, restrictions
Digital copies of some manuscripts are available online at:
Finding aids
Links to finding aids
Existence and location of copies
David Kimhi's Sefer ha-Shorashim: The National Library of Israel, Jerusalem, Israel (F 21671).
Hebrew copy of Aristotle's De Animalibus, produced in Spain or Provence. 1275-1325: The National Library of Israel, Jerusalem, Israel (F 22393).
Judeo-Spanish translation of Ariosto's Orlando furioso, produced in Turkey in the last quarter of the 16th century: The National Library of Israel, Jerusalem, Israel (F 19286).
Spanish-rite prayer book for the whole year: The National Library of Israel, Jerusalem, Israel (F 16593).
Author of the description
Joana Rodrigues, 2022
Bibliography
Published primary sources
Linked resources
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