On the one hand, there is a commitment to bring long-hidden masterpieces to light, which would otherwise probably remain unknown to the general public and, on the other hand, to help preserve them and, as in this specific case, ensure that they are restored to their original appearance. It is also worthy of interest as it illustrates the story of Saint Francis, who is still a key figure in contemporary theological thought and in highly topical issues such as the relationship between man and the environment in the anthropocene era – for instance, the sensitivity towards ecological issues that characterises Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical, Laudato si’ (Praise Be to You).
The facsimile contains a commentary consisting of more than 200 pages, with essays edited by leading experts on the many aspects that define the appearance of the manuscript: Marco Guardo, Chiara Frugoni, Francesca Manzari, Nicoletta Giovè Marchioli, Anna Candida Felici and Michela Perino; the commentary also contains 20 out-of-text colour plates.
The facsimile is printed in four colours using the stochastic screening technique with special highly pigmented inks, silver paste, gold paste and gold hot stamping on Luxor parchment paper by Cartiere Fedrigoni; the endpapers are printed on Ingres paper by Cartiere Fabriano. It is hand bound; the silk headband is hand sewn. The cover is made of brown full grain leather with nerves and blind tooling, a bas relief print on the front cover, spine and back; gold sprayed on three sides. It is contained in a wooden slipcase that opens up like a book with a glossy lacquered surface finish. It also has its own bookrest and a lower compartment for the commentary, covered in Alcantara.
Print run of 399 hand-numbered copies plus 10 unnumbered copies.
