Biblia Latina

Biblia Latina. Venice: Hieronymus de Paganinis, 7 September 1497. 18 cm.
Call Number: (RARE) BS 75 1497x

This "pocket" edition of the Bible was never completely finished. The book was intended to be hand-illuminated, as evidenced by the empty spaces left for the initial capital letters. Bibles comprised only 5% of religious works printed in Venice during the first half century of printing. This is attributed to the Catholic deemphasis on the Scriptures. Although few in number, some Venetian Bibles of this period were small in size, expanding the possibility of home study.