Martyrdom of Saint Maurice and his Comrades
The Martyrdom of Saint Maurice and his Comrades () is an illuminated manuscript commissioned as a diplomatic gift to Giovanni Cossa by the Venetian general Jacopo Antonio Marcello (1399–1464). The smallest miniatures are attributed to an unknown Lombard artist in the International Gothic style and the larger ones to Jacopo Bellini or Giovanni Bellini. It passed through several owners before in 1785 being acquired by the collection now known as the Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal in Paris. History On 1 June 1453 Marcello sent the work to Cossa, seneschal of Provence and advisor to René of Anjou. René was then attempting to make good his hereditary claim to the Kingdom of Naples by making allies in Italy. As the Venetian Senate's "provveditore in the field", Marcello represented Venetian support for René and for this he was awarded the Ordre du Croissant, founded the previous year. He was invested in 1450 when Cossa held the annual role of "senatore dell'ordine". The alliance between Anjou and Venice was reversed when Francesco Sforza took power and Venice – finding itself at war with Milan, Florence and France – switched to backing Alfonso V of Aragon's claim to Naples. Marcello tried to win René back