The Bookseller of Florence Vespasiano da Bisticci and the Manuscripts that Illuminated the Renaissance A marvel of storytelling and a masterclass in the history of the book WALL STREET JOURNAL The Renaissance in Florence conjures images of beautiful frescoes and elegant buildings - the dazzling handiwork of the citys artists and architects. But equally important were geniuses of another kind: Florences manuscript hunters, scribes, scholars and booksellers. At a time where all books were made by hand, these people helped imagine a new and enlightened world. At the heart of this activity was a remarkable bookseller: Vespasiano da Bisticci. His books were works of art in their own right, copied by talented scribes and illuminated by the finest miniaturists. With a client list that included popes and royalty, Vespasiano became the king of the worlds booksellers. But by 1480 a new invention had appeared: the printed book, and Europes most prolific merchant of knowledge faced a formidable new challenge. A spectacular life of the book trades Renaissance man JOHN CAREY, SUNDAY TIMES Product Details : : 9781784709372 Length: 496 Pages Dimensions: 198mm x 30mm x 130mm Weight: 407g