János Csezmicei, bishop of Pécs, known as a poet by pen-name Janus Pannonius (1434–1472), was one of the first humanists and book collectors in Hungary. During his study years in Italy, he not only acquired a wide knowledge of Greek and canon law, but also wrote many of his poems. He got acquainted with a number of other humanists, with some of whom he maintained relations also after having returned to Hungary. From the early 16th century onwards, his poems were published, and enabled Janus Pannonius to become more widely known throughout Europe than ever before. In addition to a precious treasure from his library, an eleventh-century Greek-language Gospel Book from Byzantium, the University Library preserves a wealth of documents directly or indirectly associated with Janus Pannonius. Our chamber exhibition displays several printed books and a manuscript relating to the poet’s Italian acquaintances (Galeotto Marzio, Marsilio Ficino) and the first researchers of his literary legacy (Péter Váradi, István Brodarics), as well as five different foreign and Hungarian editions of his works from the 16th and 18th centuries.
The exhibition is open to the public during the Autumn Festival of Museums from the 3rd of October to the 11th of November 2022, on weekdays between 10.00 and 15.00.