(Ricc. 453)
This manuscript consists of two distinct sections, which were probably joined in the early fourteenth century. Of these two stories, only the one recounting the martyrdom of Margaret of Antioch is illustrated. Its miniatures serve as a visual commentary on the text, highlighting the most important episodes on almost each page.
The codex was made in Bologna toward the end of the thirteenth century. Its 33 miniatures and their many classicizing features stand out as the richest illustration of this legend; certainly, a book like this was conceived for an aristocratic setting.
In this regard, the suggestive theory has been raised that the making of this codex may be connected with Blessed Margaret, daughter of Bela IV (king of Hungary). A Dominican nun, Margaret led a most pious life, eventually receiving the stigmata. At the time she could not be worshipped openly, as the Church had not canonized her as a saint yet. However, she could be venerated through the saint bearing her same name.
Manageritalia Milano
