New attribution to the Maestro dei Putti: an illuminated book of the Attic Nights by Aulo Gellio (Venice, Nicolas Jenson, 1472)

Abstract

The paper presents the discoveries about a Venetian incunable studied during the cataloguing activities of incunables at the Regional Library in Catania (2018-2021). The aim of the paper is to inform the academic community about the crediting of the illuminations to the Maestro dei Putti; this results from a collaboration with Lilian Armstrong, professor of Art at Wellesley College, MA and specialist on Venetian Renaissance Book Illumination. This identification enriches the census of incunables with another copy, illuminated by the artist who was active between Venice and Padua in the 70s of XV century.