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

A hitherto unknown manuscript of chivalrous texts of the late 15th century

32 Olivier de la Marche, Le chevalier délibéré and other texts

Illustrated manuscript on paper. Flanders, c. 1484.

c. 245 x 175 mm. 43 single leaves, some losses of text. Remnants of ancient foliation in ink. – Without ruling.Text in French, partly in Flemish, Cursiva Currens by two different scribes in black ink, stanza initials stroked in red or yellow. – 25 drawings coloured with washes. – Watermarks (2 different dogs, a bull’s head, a letter ‘q’) attested for Northern France/Flanders in the 1480s. – Generally fragile, yet good condition. Some holes in the miniatures due to the chemical composition of the colours delicately restored and secured. In the margins of some leaves and on fol. 1 notes by various hands in Latin and French. – Binding: Spine with little golden stamps and red title piece renewed in the 17th century, reusing late 15th-century covers of brown leather with blind stamping. 32

PROVENANCE: 1. Owned by Philippe Chifflet (1597- 1663), canon and grand curate of Besançon (cf. note on fol. 43). Notes in his hand on fols. 29v and 31v testify to the incomplete state of the manuscript even then. 2. Collection of Nicolas Joseph Foucault (1643-1721, cf. exlibris). Archaeologist, born in Paris. 3. Private collection Belgium.

TEXT: fol. 1-31v: Olivier de la Marche, Le chevalier délibéré: Stanzas 1-199, v. 5 (ending on fol. 29v; stanza 144 missing); stanzas 208, v. 6-222, v. 4 (ending up to stanza 338 missing) – fol. 32-33v: Anonymous, Les Douze Travaux d’Hercule, first 8 labours missing – fol. 34-35v: Flemish translation, complete – fol. 36v-39v: Anonymous, Les neuf Preuses, complete – fol. 40v-43: Jean Molinet, La ressource du petit peuple, incomplete. Conseil (stanzas 1-2). The major portion of this hitherto unknown manuscript consists of the didactic poem Le chevalier délibéré by Olivier de la Marche (1422-1502). Historian, poet and politician, he spent his life in the service of the Dukes of Burgundy, and his Mémoires draw an invaluable picture of the politically agitated 15th century. Of his poetic œuvre the Chevalier narrating the quest of a knight for salvation, is his major work.With its allegorical characters the poem continues the tradition of High Medieval chivalric epic and anticipates works like the Weißkunig or the Theuerdank composed by Maximilian the Great. The Chevalier enjoyed enormous success. 17 manuscripts have been handed down to us, ten of them illuminated (Caroll 1999). Interestingly the author himself left detailed instructions for the illustration which have survived in three manuscripts. A first printed edition appeared in Paris in the workshop of Antoine Vérard on August 8, 1488. (cf. Chevalier délibéré Reprint 1946). A second edition, printed at Gouda, dates from c. 1489 (cf. cat. Clavreuil 2005, no. 5, pp. 32-39) and was reprinted in Schiedam, (Otgier Nachtegael) before 27 June 1503 on which date the printer issued a Dutch version (cf. Chevalier délibéré Reprint 1897). Throughout the 16th century several editions appeared in French and Dutch but also in Spanish and English. The author of Les douze travaux d’Hercule remains anonymous. In the present volume the fragmentary French text is followed by a complete Flemish translation. Likewise unknown is the author of Les neuf preuses presenting the popular theme of nine heroines from Antiquity, the Bible and medieval history. The final text was composed by Jean Molinet (1435-1507), poet and rhetorician who succeeded Georges Chastellain as official historian at the court of Burgundy. La ressource du petit peuple is once more a didactic poem and is indebted to the genre of the Mirror for Princes. Eight manuscripts and two printed editions are known which contain Molinet’s poem together with works by his contemporaries, yet never in combination with the texts chosen for our manuscript (Dupire 1932).

ILLUMINATION: Pen-and-ink drawings coloured with washes partly half-page, partly full-page on fol. 1v, 3v, 5, 6, 7v, 10, 13v, 15v, 19, 24v, 31, 32, 32v, 33, 33v, 36v, 37, 37v, 38, 38v, 39, 39v, 40v, 41, 42. The illustrations are the works of at least three artists, the first of whom being responsible for the cycle of the Chevalier. Interestingly the drawings correspond, not only in their general compositions but in every single detail, including colours, to the author’s instructions in the ms. fr. 1606 of the Bibliothèque nationale in Paris, whose illustrations, however, were never executed. An examination by Susie Speakman Sutch has moreover revealed several variant readings that only these two manuscripts share, which might indicate that our version was copied from the Parisian codex. The illustrations of the Ressource with their delicate palette and the sophisticated rendering of draperies, landscapes and architectural frames are the most highly developed. In comparison the pictures of the Douze Travaux are of a rather crude nature. The colour, washes and tempera, has been applied in opaque layers causing damage to the paper, which necessitated restoration of some pages. Technique and style of our manuscript are to be located in the Burgundian Netherlands or in northern France. In centres like Mons and Valencienne manuscripts on paper containing coloured drawings enjoyed considerable success. A localization to this region is supported by linguistic properties and by the insertion of a Flemish translation. The composition of single leaves and the largely undecorated script with numerous corrections suggest that our manuscript was intended as a model for a luxurious copy which in all likelihood is no longer extant.A member of the workshop may have assembled the leaves from disparate manuscripts in the present codex, thus preserving an invaluable source of information for later scholars on the process of manuscript production and the transmission of texts and illustrations.

LITERATURE: The manuscript is hitherto unpublished. Chevalier délibéré Reprint 1897; Dupire 1932; Chevalier délibéré Reprint 1946; Caroll 1999; Speakman Sutch 2003; cat. Clavreuil 2005.