Library of Rassegna iberistica

Series | Library of Rassegna iberistica
Edited book | Serenísima palabra
Chapter | La presencia de las piedras preciosas en los libros de caballerías a la luz del lapidario de Gaspar de Morales

La presencia de las piedras preciosas en los libros de caballerías a la luz del lapidario de Gaspar de Morales

Abstract

Books of chivalry can be considered the most successful narrative genre of the 16th century, as is evidenced by the large number of works, the many translations into other languages and the numerous editions. Although their plots are fictional, the ideas conveyed are a reflection of their time, customs and beliefs. The aim of this paper is to analyze the extent to which the presence of gemstones in these works is faithful testament to the interest in sciences and nature so specific to humanists of the period. I use a contemporary work by Gaspar de Morales, De las virtudes y propiedades maravillosas de las piedras preciosas, so as to compare its content with that found in chivalric romances. My goal is to provide a list of gemstones mentioned in these works, in regards to wardrobe, arms, jewels and ornamentation, so as to analyze their use against contemporaneous beliefs regarding their characteristic properties.  


Open access | Peer reviewed

Submitted: July 24, 2015 | Accepted: April 6, 2016 | Language: it

Keywords Chivalric romanceJewelsGemstones


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