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The Códice Casanatense, its popular Portuguese title, or the Codex Casanatense 1889, is a set of 16th century Portuguese illustrations, which depict peoples and cultures whom the Portuguese frequently had contact with around the Indian and Pacific oceans. It is now kept at the
File:Codice Casanatense Ethiopians.jpg, Abyssinian warrior and his wife
File:Codice Casanatense Nubians.jpg, Nubians
File:Codice Casanatense Cafres.jpg, ''Cafres'' of the Cape of Good Hope.
File:Codice Casanatense Muscat Bathing Scene.jpg, Bathing scene of the women of Muscat.
File:Codice Casanatense Fartaques.jpg, Inhabitants of the Kingdom of Fartakh in the east Arabian coast and Socotra, called ''Fartaques'' by the Portuguese .
File:Codice Casanatense Arabian Merchants.jpg, Arabian merchants from the Hejaz.
File:Codice Casanatense Arabian Boduis.jpg, Farmers from south-eastern Arabia, possibly Yemen, called ''Boduis'' by the Portuguese.
File:Codice Casanatense Arabian Sailors.jpg, "Sailors" from Arabia, probably fishermen.
File:Codice Casanatense Arabian Sailors II.jpg, Sailors from Arabia, repetition
File:Codice Casanatense Rumes.jpg, "Rumes" (Turks) that inhabit the Red Sea and Basra.
File:Codice Casanatense Marsh Arabs.jpg, Marsh Arabs.
File:Codice Casanatense Persian People from Hormuz.png, Persian couple from Hormuz.
File:Codice Casanatense Portuguese Dinner in Hormuz.png, A dinner of Portuguese in Hormuz. The climate was hot enough that people purposely flooded their homes.
File:Codice Casanatense Shirazians.jpg, A couple from Shiraz
File:Codice Casanatense Khorasanians.jpg, A couple from Khorassan
File:Codice Casanatense Turkmens.jpg, Turkmens from Persia.
File:Codice Casanatense Nautaques.jpg, ''Nautaques'', Baloch fishermen who also attacked trade ships.
File:Codice Casanatense Sindhis.jpg, Sindhis
File:Sultan of Gujarat Codice Casanatense.png, "King of Cambay", the Sultan of Gujarat.
File:Codice Casanatense Rajputs.png, Rajputs, "who inhabit the backwoods of Cambay"
File:Códice Casanatense Gujarati Lascarins.jpg, Gujarati couple of a ''lascarin'' (foot-soldier) and his wife.
File:Codice Casanatense Moneychanger of Gujarat.jpg, Moneychanger of Gujarat
File:Codice Casanatense Gujarati Merchant.jpg, Merchants of Gujarat
File:Codice Casanatense Water-tank in Gujarat.jpg, Water tank in Gujarat
File:Codice Casanatense Water-sellers of Gujarat.jpg, Water sellers of Gujarat
File:Codice Casanatense Gujarati Women.jpg, Gujarati women
File:Codice Casanatense Gujarati Farmers.jpg, Farmers and land-workers of Gujarat
File:Codice Casanatense Gujarati Carriage.jpg, Carriage of Gujarat
File:Codice Casanatense Patanes.jpg, Horsemen from Patna
File:Codice Casanatense Patanas.jpg, Horsewomen from Patna
File:Codice Casanatense Bengalis.jpg, Bengalis
File:Codice Casanatense Foot-Soldier of Goa.jpg, Goan footsoldier, who were known to use longbows.
File:Codice Casanatense Kanarese Blacksmiths.jpg, Goan blacksmiths
File:Codice Casanatense Maynatos.jpg, Clothes-washers, called ''mainatos'' by the Portuguese
File:Codice Casanatense Wheat-sellers of Kanara.jpg, Wheat-sellers in Goa
File:Codice Casanatense Farmers from the Kanara Coast.jpg, Goan farmers
File:Codice Casanatense Brahmin Goldsmiths.jpg, A Brahmin goldsmith from Goa
File:Codice Casanatense Hindu Kanarese.jpg, Hindu Kanarese, called "gentiles" by the Portuguese.
File:Codice Casanatense Nayars.jpg, Nayars or Nairs, a Hindu "warrior" caste of the Malabar coast
File:Codice Casanatense Naitas.jpg, Descendants of Muslim men married to Indian women, called ''Naitás'' ("Navayats") by the Portuguese.
File:Codice Casanatense Saint Thomas Christians.jpg, Malabarese Christians of Saint Thomas
File:Codice Casanatense Malabarese Muslims.jpg, Malabarese Muslims (Mappila)
File:Codice Casanatense Jews of Malabar.jpg, Malabarese Jews
File:Codice Casanatense Maldivans.jpg, Maldivians
File:Codice Casanatense Badagas.jpg, Badagas, who inhabited the south-eastern coast of India.
File:Codice Casanatense Orissans.jpg, People from Orissa, in the eastern coast of India.
File:Codice Casanatense Sri Lankan Women.png, Women of Sri Lanka
File:Codice Casanatense Sinhalese Warriors.jpg, "Chingalas". Warriors of Sri Lanka, "where the cinnamon is born".
File:Codice Casanatense Peguans.jpg, People from the Kingdom of Bago
File:Malays from the Malacca Sultanate Codice Casanatense.jpg, Malay "gentiles" of the Kingdom of Malacca.
File:Codice Casanatense Acehnese.jpg, Acehnese people.
File:Codice Casanatense Javanese.jpg, Javanese people.
File:Codice Casanatense Halmaherans.jpg, People from Halmahera, also known as Gilolo.
File:Codice Casanatense Moluccans.jpg, Moluccans
File:Codice Casanatense Bandanese.jpg, Bandanese.
File:Codice Casanatense Chinese.jpg, Chinese
File:Codice Casanatense Shiva Vishnu Brahma.jpg, Illustration of the three main deities of Hinduism.
File:Codice Casanatense Hindu Marriage Left.jpg, Hindu marriage, left
File:Codice Casanatense Hindu Marriage Center.jpg, Hindu marriage, center
File:Codice Casanatense Hindu Marriage Right.jpg, Hindu marriage, right
File:Códice Casanatense Hook Swinging.jpg, Hindu ritual of hook swinging.
File:Códice Casanatense Hindu Sacrifice.jpg, Hindu self-sacrifice
File:Códice Casanatense Hindu Self-Sacrifice.jpg, Hindu self-sacrifice
File:Codice Casanatense Hindu Pilgrims.jpg, Hindu pilgrims and roving holy men
File:Codice Casanatense Hindu Burial.jpg, Burial of a living widow
File:Codice Casanatense Temple Car.jpg, Hindu temple car, crushing a worshipper.
File:Codice Casanatense Portuguese Nobleman.jpg, A Portuguese nobleman with his retinue in India.
File:Codice Casanatense Portuguese Nobleman and Christian Indian.jpg, "Single Christian women of India" wearing European fashion, and a Portuguese nobleman, presumably proposing marriage.
File:Codice Casanatense Portuguese Noblewoman on a Palanquin.png, Portuguese noblewoman on a palanquin
File:Codice Casanatense Snakes of India.jpg, Illustration of a Naja snake and a mysterious two headed snake.
Official Webpage of the Biblioteca Casanatense
Portuguese Codice
Portugal history-related lists Portuguese books 16th-century manuscripts
The Códice Casanatense, its popular Portuguese title, or the Codex Casanatense 1889, is a set of 16th century Portuguese illustrations, which depict peoples and cultures whom the Portuguese frequently had contact with around the Indian and Pacific oceans. It is now kept at the Biblioteca Casanatense
The Biblioteca Casanatense is a large historic library in Rome, Italy, named in honour of Cardinal Girolamo Casanate (1620–1700) whose private library is at its roots.
History
The library was established in 1701 by Antonin Cloche, the Mast ...
in Rome, with the official designation of ''Album di disegni, illustranti usi e costumi dei popoli d'Asia e d'Africa con brevi dichiarazioni in lingua portoghese'' ("Album of drawings, illustrating the uses and customs of the people of Asia and Africa with a brief description in Portuguese language").
Contents and origin
The codex consists of seventy-sixwatercolour
Watercolor (American English) or watercolour (British English; see spelling differences), also ''aquarelle'' (; from Italian diminutive of Latin ''aqua'' "water"), is a painting method”Watercolor may be as old as art itself, going back to t ...
illustrations, one of which is a later addition. Most come with a short description, and include illustrations of people from east Africa, Arabia, Persia, Afghanistan, India, Ceylon, Malaysia, China and the Moluccas, as well as some insights into fauna, flora and certain traditions, such as the Hindu religion — previously unknown in Europe. The creator has not been identified and many hypotheses have proven inconclusive. Several of its inscriptions provide information as to the date it was made, namely the allusion to the Siege of Diu
A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict characterize ...
of 1538, but the absence of any mention of the Japanese, whom the Portuguese contacted in 1541–43. It is therefore possible it was made circa 1540.
Its earliest recorded owner was the novice João da Costa of the College of St. Paul of Goa, who in 1627 sent it to Lisbon, according to information inscribed within the codex. Once in Europe, it was acquired by Cardinal Girolamo Casanata who, on his death in 1700, bequeathed it along with his private collection to the Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers ( la, Ordo Praedicatorum) abbreviated OP, also known as the Dominicans, is a Catholic mendicant order of Pontifical Right for men founded in Toulouse, France, by the Spanish priest, saint and mystic Dominic of ...
, for the creation of a new library, where it is now kept. It was first brought to public attention by the scholar Georg Schurhammer, who published several pictures in the Portuguese historical magazine ''Garcia da Horta'' in the 50s.
The Códice Casanatense provides an extremely rare insight into the culture of the peoples in Africa and Asia 16th century, and is especially valuable for the study of popular arms and garments of the era.
Gallery
Abyssinia
Nubia
Cafreria
Arabia
Mesopotamia
Hormuz
Persia and Afghanistan
Sindh
Gujarat
Northern and north-eastern India
Goa and the Kanara Coast
Malabar Coast
Maldives
Coromandel Coast
Ceylon
Burma
Malacca
Indonesia
China
Miscellaneous
Hindu rituals
The Portuguese in Asia
Fauna and flora
See also
*Miniature (illuminated manuscript)
A miniature (from the Latin verb ''miniare'', "to colour with '' minium''", a red lead) is a small illustration used to decorate an ancient or medieval illuminated manuscript; the simple illustrations of the early codices having been miniated o ...
*Boxer Codex
The ''Boxer Codex'' is a late sixteenth century Spanish manuscript that was produced in the Philippines. The document contains seventy-five colored illustrations of the peoples of China, the Philippines, Java, the Moluccas, the Ladrones, and Sia ...
* Tipos del País
*Ottoman miniature
Ottoman miniature ( tr, Osmanlı minyatürü) or Turkish miniature was a Turkish art form in the Ottoman Empire, which can be linked to the Persian miniature tradition, as well as strong Chinese artistic influences. It was a part of the Ottoma ...
*Persian miniature
A Persian miniature ( Persian: نگارگری ایرانی ''negârgari Irâni'') is a small Persian painting on paper, whether a book illustration or a separate work of art intended to be kept in an album of such works called a '' muraqqa''. T ...
*Mughal painting
Mughal painting is a style of painting on paper confined to miniatures either as book illustrations or as single works to be kept in albums ( muraqqa), from the territory of the Mughal Empire in South Asia. It emerged from Persian miniature pai ...
Notes
References
* {{cite book , last = De Matos , first=Luis , title = Imagens do Oriente no século XVI: Reprodução do Códice português da Biblioteca Casanatense , url = https://books.google.com/books?id=jOFmQgAACAAJ&q=imagens+do+oriente+no+s%C3%A9c+xvi , location = Lisbon , publisher = Imprensa Nacional Casa da Moeda , year = 1985 , ref = {{sfnRef, Matos, 1985External links
Official Webpage of the Biblioteca Casanatense
Portuguese Codice
Portugal history-related lists Portuguese books 16th-century manuscripts