A Grammar Of Signs

Resumen del Libro

Bartolo da Sassoferrato (1314-57) is considered the preeminent jurist of the late Middle Ages, & his DE INSIGNIIS ET ARMIS is hailed as the foundational treatment of the heraldic arms & insignia central to the proper ranking of late medieval & early modern aristocracies. It quickly became an authoritative & influential source for all later works on heraldic questions & is still cited in contemporary manuals. The tract also includes a groundbreaking discussion of the use, ownership, & transfer of trademarks. Attacked by humanists as an example of barbaric Latinity, the tract was subjected to a notorious assault by Lorenzo Valla. The authors provide not only a reliable critical edition & first English translation of the tract, as well as a translation of Vallas polemic, but also a challenging & engaging reassessment of its composition, contents, historical context, & reception. This meticulously crafted volume is essential reading for students of the Italian city-states, art history, legal history, & heraldry. $30.00 HARDCOVER, 200 PAGES, ILLUSTRATED. To order this book, write to: Robbins Collection Publications, Boalt Hall, School of Law, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-2499. Phone: (510) 642-3064, FAX: (510) 643-8770.