Report of the Voyage of Cardinal Lang to Pressburg and the Festivities in Vienna Riccardo Bartolini, Odeporicon

Vienna: Vietor 1515
Vienna University Library I-302.206

In February 1515, Cardinal Matthias Lang travelled to Pressburg to negotiate on behalf of Maximilian with the Jagiellon kings, who had arrived in the city earlier. He then gave a report to Maximilian in Innsbruck and accompanied the emperor to Vienna. Also in Maximilian’s retinue was the humanist Riccardo Bartolini from Perugia (c. 1475-1529). Bartolini composed an epic poem written in Latin – the Odeporicon (Greek for travel report) – that praised Maximilian and recounted in great detail both the voyage and festivities in Vienna. Cardinal Lang, who patronized the work, is a main character in the narrative. As a cultured and literary participant in the festivities, Bartolini wrote of his visit to the tomb of Friedrich in St. Stephen’s Cathedral as well has his meeting with humanists in the entourage of the Polish king. He also included his speech given at the wedding ceremony, which was so overwhelmed by the noise of the many guests that it had to be stopped and restarted. The first folio depicts both the imperial coat of arms with the double-headed eagle and those of Kardinal Lang. The woodcut borders include the monogram of Hieronymus Vietor, the Viennese printer who printed the book for the Augsburg publisher Johannes Wiedemann.
Elisabeth Klecker