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314:. The university library today owns 22 books originally commissioned by de Mercatellis. It is unusual for a medieval book collection to be attributable to a single original owner and to have survived through history relatively intact in this way. Since 2013, the collection in Ghent of remaining books from the library of de Mercatellis has been formally designated as a "top piece" according to the Masterpieces Decree of the
120:, where Raphael de Mercatellis was born, for reasons of trade. Raphael's mother was the wife of a merchant named Bernardus. Raphael de Mercatellis was one of a large number of illegitimate children of Duke Philip, and like most of his male half-siblings was provided with an education and a career by the ducal court.
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and an unidentified monogram, LYS or SLY. All the manuscripts in his library were commissioned by him, not bought second-hand or ready-made, which is very unusual for a medieval collection. They were made in workshops in Bruges and Ghent. It is possible that de
Mercatellis wrote the text of some of
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Throughout his professional life, de
Mercatellis appears to have paid little attention to his religious duties. He is reported as having neglected paying proper attention to the upkeep of the abbey buildings, and though he amassed a large library it contained very few religious texts, not even a
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appointed him as a counsellor. He retired to Bruges in 1507 from his official duties and died the following year. He planned a large funerary monument for himself, and upon his death his body was supposedly transported from Bruges to Ghent by a retinue including 100 horses.
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At the same time, the collection has been described by
Hendrik Defoort of the Ghent University Library as the "most important humanist library in the Low Countries before the 16th century" and was, according to art historian Alain Arnould, the first library in the
207:. When he arrived at the wealthy Saint Bavo's Abbey, he used funds from the abbey to commission more and more costly manuscripts. The books commissioned by de Mercatellis were luxuriously made, written on fine
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identified a total of 57 books traceable to the collection of de
Mercatellis in 1979; Hendrik Defoort in 2022 listed 65 books spread among several collections in different countries.
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books. Sixty-five books from his library have been traced to collections worldwide, making it an unusually intact medieval book collection attributable to a single owner.
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prints. Ordering handmade books in this way could have been a way for him to appear distinguished and learned, and could also have been a way to showcase his wealth.
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authors as well as by
Italian writers, conveying humanist ideas. The aversion towards printed books was shared by another humanist bibliophile at the time,
272:. It is not known exactly how many and which books constituted Raphael de Mercatellis's library, but an inventory from the 16th century lists 80 books.
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652:"Two Identical Manuscripts from the Library of Raphael de Mercatellis? The Relationship between MSS 11 and 17 in the University Library of Ghent"
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After the death of de
Mercatellis, some of the books dispersed from the library of St Bavo's Abbey. Some are today found in the city library of
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Short biography and digitised manuscripts from
Belgian collections at Mmmonk (Medieval Monastic Manuscripts – Open – Network – Knowledge)
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176:, a popular kind of prayer book at the time. It has been suggested that he viewed his postings mainly as a source of income.
310:, remaining manuscripts from the library of de Mercatellis avoided this fate and in 1817 were brought to the library of
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232:. Commissioning handwritten and decorated books in this way was already becoming old-fashioned during this time, as
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Raphael de
Mercatellis began buying books early in life, after having been appointed abbot of St. Peter's abbey in
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and decorated manuscripts. The library he created is of historical importance as the earliest library in the
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360:. Bruges Public Library, Ghent University Library, Major Seminary Ten Duinen in Bruges and Ghent Diocese
131:(graduated in 1462) and pursued a career within the church. Already at the age of 27 he was appointed
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Jan Van de Veren or
Johannes de Veris. In 1478 de Mercatellis was appointed abbot of the prestigious
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572:"The Iconographical Sources of a Composite Manuscript from the Library of Raphael de Mercatellis"
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264:. In addition, the library of de Mercatellis also contained books on geography, medicine and
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ideas", giving it a certain historical importance. It contained several books by
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and a woman from the merchant family
Mercatelli. The Mercatelli family was of
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The Library of Raphael de Marcatellis, Abbot of St. Bavon's, Ghent, 1437-1508
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in the Netherlands, and may have been taken there as loot during the
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west of his hometown Bruges. There he became friends with the early
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Mmmonk (Medieval Monastic Manuscripts – Open – Network – Knowledge)
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found in several books ordered by de Mercatellis were copies of
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of St Bavo, including a set of 15 manuscripts sold to the
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had started to replace hand-written manuscripts. In fact,
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Raphael de Mercatellis was the illegitimate son of Duke
538:"BIBLIOTHEEK RAPHAËL DE MERCATELLIS OP TOPSTUKKENLIJST"
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252:"to reveal an extensive interest in what we may call
517:(in French). Bulletin des Bibliothèques de France
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68:origins, the wife of a merchant. He was born in
576:Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes
41:(1437 – 3 August 1508), was a church official,
620:"New Manuscripts Related to Johannes de Veris"
188:A manuscript (a collection of works by i.a.
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686:(2 ed.). Woodbridge: Boydell Press.
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26:of Raphael de Mercatellis in an
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354:"Abbot Raphael de Mercatellis"
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428:. Dr Jörn Günther Rare Books
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650:van Bergen, Saskia (2011).
116:origins and had settled in
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352:Defoort, Hendrik (2002).
308:French Revolutionary Wars
30:in one of his manuscripts
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668:10.1163/157006911X570189
159:and auxiliary bishop of
624:Humanistica Lovaniensia
618:Arnould, Alain (1989).
570:Arnould, Alain (1988).
262:Federico da Montefeltro
211:and bound in colourful
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151:. In 1487 he was made
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43:imperial counsellor
39:Raphael of Burgundy
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764:Bishops of Tournai
421:Haley, Charlotte.
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254:Renaissance
172:bible or a
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743:Categories
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322:References
270:chiromancy
238:miniatures
656:Quaerendo
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198:miniature
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