Munificentia Venetiarum (Exemplaria Praetiosa II) -

Vatican: Archivio Segreto Vaticano, 2004 Chosen for its special value among those conserved and relative to the Veneto area, the original parchment dated 1586 has been kept in the Vatican Archives safe for centuries. This document (archive reference A.A., Arm. I-XVIII, 1302) was offered by the Venetian Doge Pasquale Cicogna (1585-1595), brave man of business and arms, Duke of Candia and Rector of Cyprus, in the name of the Serenissima Senate to Pope Sisto V, as magnificent residence of its “orator” in the Venetian Government, the palazzo owned by the Gritti family, previously residence of Doge Andrea Gritti (1533-1538), "in contrata Sanctae Iustinae, penes ecclesiam Sancti Francisci super Campo" where the Papal Nuncio lived in Venice (in just a small part). The golden seal of Doge Pasquale Cicogna is joined to the document by a red silk thread run through with gold threads. For centuries kept in the Secret Archives, the famous collection of Vatican gold seals is among the most important in the world. Kings, Princes and Emperors have sent their messages to the Popes over the centuries, corroborating the documents with their seal in a sign of devotion, which was made of gold on special occasions. This exclusive, unique edition will guide its lucky owners on a journey back in time, to the Venice of the Doges. The finely illuminated document has been chosen for its exceptional artistic work, and is corroborated by the splendid gold seal of Doge Pasquale Cicogna; the precious critical edition will give the fortunate owner of the "Exemplar" a chance to see the historic-political history of the Serenissima Republic and the richness of the Doges correspondence and the extensive value and preciousness of its contents. // Printed in May 2004 by "Art Color Printing", Rome, Italy on Magnani di Pescia Acqueforte paper 200 g. Limited Facsimile Edition of Three Hundred and ninety nine exemplars numbered 1/399 to 399/399 and twenty exemplars numbered I/XX to XX/XX for the whole world. The complete opera was stitched and bound by hand according to traditionnal methods using wooden plates covered with parchment and gold engravings. THIS IS COPY #114/399. PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST!!