Dr. Jörn Günther • Antiquariat
www.guenther-rarebooks.com

CONTENTS

Manuscripts

  1. Glossed Gospels of St Luke and St John,
    Paris or northern France, c. 1210
  2. Psalter with calendar for the diocese of Trier,
    Germany,Trier, c. 1220-40
  3. Psalter and book of hours for the use of Paris,
    illuminated in the du Prat atelier, France, Paris,
    c. 1250-60
  4. Biblia latina, pocket bible, France, Paris, c. 1250
  5. Antiphonary, sanctoral volume, Italy,
    Emilia-Romagna, c. 1270-75
  6. Psalter for the use of Auxerre, France,
    Burgundy or Paris, c. 1300
  7. Antiphonary for a Franciscan convent,
    illuminated by Neri da Rimini, Italy,
    Emilia-Romagna, dated 1314
  8. Vita Sancti Antonii Eremitae – Inventio et
    Translatio, illuminated by the Maestro del 1328,
    Italy, Bologna, c. 1320
  9. Schönrainer Liederhandschrift. Middle High
    German Minnesang manuscript, Germany,
    Hesse, c. 1330
  10. Missale Romanum, illuminated in the workshop
    of Cristoforo Orimina, Italy, Naples, c. 1355
  11. Boethius, De consolatione philosophiae and
    Jean de Meun, Testament, France, Paris, c. 1400
  12. Guido de Columna, Historia destructionis Troiae
    and Giovanni Boccaccio, Il Filostrato, Italy,
    Naples, dated 1414 and 1413
  13. Book of hours for the use of Paris, illuminated
    by the workshop of the Bedford Master, France,
    Paris, c. 1405-10
  14. Compilation of pastoral and mystical texts
    from the library of the Celestines of Marcoussis,
    illuminated by the Hoo Master, France, Paris,
    c. 1425-35
  15. Book of hours for the use of Toul, illuminated
    by the Master of Pommersfelden 351, France,
    Toul or Metz, c. 1435-40
  16. Dominican hymnal, illuminated by the
    Master of 1446, Italy, Bologna, c. 1450
  17. Nicolaus de Lyra, Postilla litteralis super
    Vetus Testamentum, two volumes, Italy,
    Ferrara?, 1441-46
  18. Compilation of history bible and world chronicle,
    the Antichrist and the XV signs and other texts,
    Austria, c. 1450
  19. Book of hours and psalter in Dutch, illuminated
    by the Master of the Haarlem Bible, Masters of
    Otto von Moerdrecht, Masters of Gijsbrecht
    van Brederode et al., northern Netherlands,
    Haarlem, dated 1453
  20. Book of hours for the use of Rome, with
    calendar of Bruges, illuminated by the Master of
    Buchanan E.5, Flanders, Bruges, c. 1450-60
  21. Chronique anonyme universelle, parchment
    scroll, illuminated by the Master of Étienne
    Sauderat, France, Paris?, c. 1450 with additions
    after 1461 and 1467
  22. Psalter with hymnal, illuminated
    by the workshop of Bartolomeo Varnucci,
    Italy, Florence, c. 1460-70
  23. Martin Le Franc, L’Estrif de Fortune et de Vertu,
    illuminated by the Master of the Échevinage
    de Rouen, France, Rouen, c. 1465-75
  24. Book of hours for the use of Utrecht in the Dutch
    translation of Geert Grote, illuminated by one of
    the Masters of Gijsbrecht van Brederode, northern
    Netherlands, probably Utrecht, c. 1465-70
  25. Missale Fratrum Minorum for the convent
    of S. Francesco di Montone, near Perugia,
    illuminated by Bartelomeo and Giapeco
    Caporali, Italy, Perugia, 1469
  26. Book of hours for the use of Rome with
    adaptations for Poitiers and a calendar for
    Angers, illuminated by Maître François,
    France, Paris, c. 1470
  27. Psalter with hymnal, illuminated by the
    workshop of Mariano del Buono di Jacopo,
    Italy, Florence, c. 1470-75
  28. Book of hours for the use of Rome, illuminated
    by Martino da Modena, Italy, Ferrara, c. 1480-85
  29. Book of hours for Dominican use, illuminated
    by the workshop of Matteo Felice, Italy,
    Naples, c. 1480
  30. Giovanni Boccaccio, Elegia di Madonna
    Fiammetta, illuminated by Attavante degli
    Attavanti, Italy, Florence, c. 1480
  31. Book of hours for the use of Rome, Italy,
    Sicily or Naples, c. 1480-90
  32. Olivier de la Marche, Le chevalier délibéré and
    other texts, Flanders, c. 1484
  33. Prayerbook in German, Germany, Nuremberg,
    c. 1495-1500
  34. Fencing treatise with pen-and-ink drawings,
    southern Germany,Augsburg, c. 1490-1500
  35. Book of hours for the use of Paris in Latin
    and French, illuminated by an artist from the
    circle of Jean Pichore, France, Paris, c. 1500
  36. Passion prayerbook in Latin with a prayer for
    the Church of All Saints in Wittenberg, Flanders,
    Bruges, after 1517
  37. Diploma for Statilio Paolino on his award of a
    doctorate in law from the University of
    Perugia, Italy, Perugia, dated 29 October 1582
  38. Album with Italian, mainly Venetian, costumes and
    characters from the Commedia dell’Arte, Italy,
    Venice?, first quarter of the 17th century

    Miniatures

  39. Funeral mass for a dignitary, miniature from a
    breviary, France,Avignon, c. 1340-45 128
  40. A pope distributing the decretals, miniature from
    a manuscript of canon law, France, Languedoc,
    c. 1320
  41. The Adoration of the Magi, historiated initial ‘D’
    on a leaf from a missal, Italy, Siena, c. 1400-10
  42. Two martyr saints, historiated initial ‘P’ on a leaf
    from a gradual for Lucca Cathedral, illuminated by
    Martino di Bartolomeo. Italy, Lucca, c. 1394-95
  43. Investiture of St Clare on a cutting from a
    Franciscan antiphonary, Italy, Bologna or Veneto,
    c. 1430-40
  44. Trinity, historiated initial ‘G’ on a cutting from
    a choirbook, France, Savoy, c. 1450 138
  45. King David playing the psaltery, historiated
    initial ‘E’ on a leaf from a psalter, illuminated by
    Jacopo da Balsemo, Italy, Bergamo, c. 1450-55
  46. The Creation of Eve, historiated initial ‘I’ on a
    cutting from a choirbook, illuminated by
    Bonifacio Bembo, Italy, Lombardy, c. 1445
  47. Jesaia before the Almighty, historiated initial ‘A’
    on a leaf from an antiphonary, illuminated by
    a follower of the Maestro delle Vitae Imperatorum,
    Italy, Lombardy, c. 1460
  48. Batsheba bathing, miniature from the Hours of
    Guyot II Le Peley, illuminated by Jean Colombe,
    France, Bourges, c. 1480
  49. The miracle of St Michael on Mount Gargano,
    miniature from a choirbook, illuminated by
    Attavante degli Attavanti, Italy, Florence,
    between 1473 and 1502
  50. Christ taking leave of his mother, miniature
    mounted on wood, illuminated by Jacopo del
    Giallo?, Italy, Rome, c. 1540

    Key to bibliographical references

An early 15th-century manuscript of one of the most widely copied works of secular literature in the Middle Ages

11 Boethius, De consolatione philosophiae and Jean de Meun, Testament

Illuminated manuscript on vellum, in French and Latin, written by the scribe Reynaldus.
France, Paris, c. 1400.

304 x 225 mm. 155 leaves, (the first quire with the prologue of the translator possibly missing): I10, II-XV8, XVI2, XVII-XIX8, XX8-1 (last missing leaf blank). Catchwords in the same script as the text. Remnants of old quire foliation in the lower right, sporadically foliated in pencil (modern, partly incorrect). – Written space: 206 x 163 mm, 32-38 lines, double columns, ruled in brown ink with an additional column for the beginning of verses, vertical lines drawn through up to the margins.Text in French and Latin, written in Cursiva Libraria in light brown ink, descenders of letters occasionally calligraphically decorated. Rubrics in red, also the grammalogues b(oethius) and p(hilosophia), beginnings of chapters alternately with red and blue chapter signs, beginnings of verses and verse initials touched in yellow. – Numerous three-line initials in gold with alternately red and blue infills and white penwork, 9 three- to six-line ivyleaf initials with extensions. – One five-line historiated initial with ivyleaf border extensions. 6 column-wide miniatures accompanied by gold bar borders with ivyleaf decoration extending the full height of the column. – The first leaf warped, wormholes in the first and the last leaves. On some leaves traces of contemporary annotations. Fol. 85, 88 and 152 amended in the lower margin.Wide margins, in fine condition throughout, miniatures preserved in their original brilliance without any wear. – Late 18th-century red morocco binding tooled in gilt and blind, covers with triple fillets, gilt turn-ins, spine on 5 raised bands in compartments decorated with foliate tools and title. Gilt edges, bright green silk ribbon marker. Front and rear pastedowns and flyleaves out of marbled paper.

PROVENANCE: 1. Justin MacCarthy Reagh (1744-1811, cf. his sale 1815). 2. Lang, his sale at Evans on 7 Nov. 1828, lot 416. 3. Sir Thomas Phillipps (1792-1872), his ms. 3667 (Munby 1968, p. 47). 4. Leather bookplate on front pastedown “DR”. 5. Private collection Europe.

TEXT: fol. 1-124: Boethius, De consolatione philosophiae, in a French verse translation, with Latin glosses: fol. 4v: 1st book; fol. 17v: 2nd book; fol. 41: 3rd book; fol. 73: 4th book; fol. 104v: 5th book. – fol. 125-155: Jean de Meun, Testament. Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (c. 480-524) is considered the last representative of the ideas of ancient Rome. As a minister of high rank he initially enjoyed the undivided support and confidence of Theoderic. In the course of his political career, however, he became involved in a severe dispute, which led to his execution.The Consolation of Philosophy was written in prison, and the author’s hopeless situation provides the text’s characteristic keynote.The work is divided into five books. It counts among the most spirited literary works of Late Antiquity and was one of the most widely copied and read texts in the Middle Ages. Jean de Meun (c. 1290 – c. 1305), who is best known for his sequel to the Roman de la Rose, was the earliest French translator of Boethius’s magnum opus. The French version was in all probability made to the order of Philippe le Beau in 1291-96. The translation at hand represents a variant written in verses and complemented by Latin glosses. However, it cannot be precisely identified, as only very few of the various extant translations have so far been edited. Jean de Meun’s Testament, presumably written after 1291, of which our codex contains an abbreviated version, is of an entirely different nature with its marked theological and moral perspective. The text is carefully edited; chapters omitted in the first place were later added in a slightly smaller script in the margins.The scribe Reynaldus signed his work at the end of the Consolation of Philosophy; however, his signature is crossed out in the same ink that was used for the rubrics.

ILLUMINATION: fol. 4: Historiated initial of the author writing – fol. 4v: The personifications of Philosophy and the muses appearing to the author – fol. 17v: Philosophy and the author – fol. 41: Philosophy and the author – fol. 73: Philosophy and the author – fol. 104v: Philosophy and the author, God the Father appearing in heaven – fol. 125:Trinity with angels. The illumination doubtless is of Parisian origin.The robe of the female figure personifying Philosophy offers a helpful indication of the manuscript’s date of creation: Jeanne de Bourbon, the wife of Charles V, is wearing a similar robe in the Parament of Narbonne (Paris, Musée du Louvre). The Cité des Dames Master, active one generation later, dresses his female figures in c. 1403-05 in robes that still bear close analogies (Paris, Bibliothèque nationale, fr. 12559). Not much is known about the generation of miniaturists active in Paris before Netherlandish artists introduced new trends there. The artist named Master of Death by Michael Camille belongs to this generation. Referring to a note in a manuscript of the Pèlerinage de vie humaine dated 1393 (Paris, BN, fr. 823, fol. 18v) Camille identified this miniaturist with the painter Perrin Remiet or Remy (Camille 1996). This classification was disproved, however, since various sources bear witness to a period of production from 1368 to 1428. The Master of Jeanne de Ravenelle, an artist formerly named Master of fr. 159 (Sandgren 2002), collaborated with the Master of Death in the illumination of a Bible historiale made to the order of the Duke of Berry at the turn from the 14th to the 15th century (Baltimore,Walters Arts Gallery,W. 125-126).This is the time at which our Boethius manuscript must have been produced, as confirmed also by the style of the decoration. The artist’s brilliant and animated palette, which also includes pastel shades, is indicative of his openness towards innovations in painting. His modulation of shades to create illusionist effects and his first steps towards integrating perspective and three-dimensionality are elements of a mature and wellestablished style which places him at the threshold of the succeeding generation of artists.

LITERATURE: Sales cat. MacCarthy Reagh, Paris 1815; sales cat. Evans, 7 Nov. 1848, lot 416; Munby 1968, p. 47, no. 3667. Courcelle 1967; Randall 1989; Camille 1996; Atherton/ Babbi 2000; Rouse/Rouse 2000; Sandgren 2002; exh. cat. Paris 2004.