The Colonna Copy
[NUNS.]
Il paradiso in terra aperto alle sagre vergini, nell’angustie della religiosa clausura: opera di un sacerdote secolare. Seconda edizione. Dedicato alla molto reverenda madre suor Marianna Teresa Imelda di Gesù Crocifisso, monaca nel monistero di Regina Celi di Roma. Rome, Ottavio Puccinelli, 1747.
4to, pp. [16], liv, [2], 520; title in red and black with woodcut ornament, woodcut initials; title leaf and front endpaper detached, some light marginal damp-staining, heavier towards the end; a good copy in contemporary Roman rococo red morocco, gilt frame, cornerpieces, and central Colonna arms to covers, spine gilt in compartments and lettered directly in gilt, gilt edges, later marbled endpapers; extremities worn, old repairs to spine ends and corners, front joint split; Colonna bookplate to front pastedown, pencilled shelfmarks.
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Il paradiso in terra aperto alle sagre vergini, nell’angustie della religiosa clausura: opera di un sacerdote secolare. Seconda edizione. Dedicato alla molto reverenda madre suor Marianna Teresa Imelda di Gesù Crocifisso, monaca nel monistero di Regina Celi di Roma.
Second edition (first 1718) of an anonymous work on cloistered nuns, dedicated by the printer to Donna Isabella Colonna (1728–1778), a Carmelite nun known as Sister Marianna Teresa Imelda of the Roman convent of Santa Maria Regina Coeli, this copy elaborately bound for her brother Cardinal Marcantonio Colonna.
The priestly author begins with a remarkable historical preface documenting notable religious women from the first century to his own day; these are listed in a handy accompanying index running from ‘Abbadessa del Monistero di Pont’ Ebraldo’ to ‘Wiremberga’.
The main body of the work comprises chapters on the religious vocation, monasticism, preparing to take the habit, detachment from the world, charity, poverty, chastity, prayer, silence, the Eucharist, confession, and devotional exercises. Practical aspects of the cloistered life are also explored, including a convent’s porters, and appropriate practice in the parlatory. A ‘chronological index’ of notable nuns arranged by religious order rounds off the work.
Provenance:
With the arms of Cardinal Marcantonio Colonna (1724–1793), Prefect of the Apostolic Palace at the time of the publication of this volume; he later served as Archpriest of Santa Maria Maggiore and Cardinal-Bishop of Palestrina.
No copies traced in the UK, and only two located in the US (Johns Hopkins, Notre Dame).