The Pope's Elephant (Aspects of Portugal) - Hardcover
In 1514, Rome, the Eternal City, was the center of the Christian world and home and workshop to Raphael, Leonardo, and Michelangelo. It was also the city of Pope Leo X, the pleasure-loving pontiff whose court was infamous for its excess, frivolity and impropriety, as well as for its newly-arrived white elephant Hanno. Hanno became a star feature in processions and festivals, and the subject of countless paintings, sculptures and fountains. In this fascinating glimpse at a forgotten sidenote to history, Silvio A. Bedini gives us an elephant's-back view of early modern Europe and the inner workings of the Vatican at the height of its influence. Charmingly written with dozens of accompanying photographs and illustrations, The Pope's Elephant will delight readers just as Hanno delighted the people of Rome five centuries ago.
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Product Description:
Taking the reader through the Portuguese empire, this book tells the story of Hanno the elephant, his capture, his life at the papal court, and his legacy to the art of the Renaissance.
Review:
In early 16th century Rome, at the height of the Italian Renaissance, when artists such as Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo thrived in the Holy City, the decadent court of Pope Leo X was a place where visitors could find pleasures and entertainments more exotic than anything they had previously imagined. Among the Pope's great joys was his menagerie of exotic animals, and the prize of his collection was an Indian elephant named Hanno, presented to him by the King of Portugal. The Pope's Elephant by Silvio A. Bendini, Historian Emeritus at the Smithsonian Institution, describes Hanno's powerful effect on the Papal Court and on the Roman citizenry. This elephant--trained to kneel, dance, weep, and trumpet on command--led parades and entertained at public festivals, and was commemorated in paintings, poetry, and sculpture. For Romans, Hanno became the pre-eminent symbol of the alluring Orient; and for Pope Leo's detractors, the elephant became a symbol of Roman corruption. Bendini's rigorous research and eager enthusiasm for his subject, and his judicious selection of whimsical illustrations, make reading The Pope's Elephant a quirky and delightful pastime. --Michael Joseph Gross
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- PublisherCarcanet Press Ltd
- Publication date1997
- ISBN 10 1857542770
- ISBN 13 9781857542776
- BindingHardcover
- Number of pages320
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The Pope's Elephant
Published by
Carcanet Press Ltd.
(1997)
ISBN 10: 1857542770
ISBN 13: 9781857542776
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. Dust Jacket Condition: New. First Edition. This specific hardback book is in new condition with a hard board cover that has sharp edges and corners and has a tight binding. The pages are clean, crisp, unmarked and uncreased. The dust jacket is in new condition. We package all books in custom cardboard book boxes for shipment and ship daily with tracking numbers.; "This is an extraordinary story about Pope Leo X's most unusual pet. Leo was a Medici, a man of high culture, a hands-on ruler, patron to Raphael, scorned by Martin Luther. He had a lighter side and a genuine affection for the elephant Hanno, a gift from the Portuguese King. First published in 1998, Bedini had to do his research the hard way, visiting archives and corresponding with Vatican librarians. Sometimes it seems the knowledge was so hard won that the author puts facts in the book that don't advance the story. He describes the weight of the pearls on the Portuguese Ambassador's hat and lists all the cargo that was on the ship with the elephant en route to Rome. I appreciate the telling detail, and this books provides an extraordinary window into the Renaissance. While I enjoyed it very much, I found myself glossing over some of Bedini's longer descriptions."; Aspects Of Portugal Series; 9.1 X 5.7 X 1.1 inches; 302 pages. Seller Inventory # 19841
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