Baltimore, MD, Walters Art Museum W. 143, fol. 62v, 1325-1350 | MARGOT

Scene depicted

*Only miniature in this manuscript depicting Ami’s discourse on the jealous husband: “in manuscripts that illustrate this scene, the entire speech of the Jaloux is visually summed up in the image of domestic violence” (Desmond, Marilynn. Ovid’s Art and the Wife of Bath. The Ethics of Erotic Violence. Ithaca: Cornell UP: 95)

The Jealous husband beats his wife. A neighbour attempts to stop him while his wife looks on. Only one other miniature includes the neighbours in the visual program: BNF, Ms. Fr. 24392, fol. 76r.

Detailed manuscript information (based on Roman de la rose digital surrogates of medieval manuscripts and Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the Walters Art Gallery, 1(1989): 173-76).

Parchment, measure: 215x152mm, 2 columns of 40 lines, 143 fols. Completed in Paris (?) under northern French influence. 29 lines have been added to the end of the Rose:

Et puis que l [sic] ie sui esvellie
Du songe qui m'a travallie
Et mout y ai eu afaire
Ainz q[ue] ie peusse a chief traire
De ce que i'av oie entrepris
Mes toutevoie ai ie pris
Le bouton que ie desiroie
Co[nbie]n que travalliez m'i soie
Et tout le soulaz de m'amie
Maugre Dangier [et] Jalousie
Et maugre Raiso[n] e[n]sement
Qui tant me le da[n]ia form[en]t

[col. b]
Mes Amours m'avoit bien promis
Et ainssi le me dist Amis
Se ie servoie loyaument
Q[ue] i'avroie prouchainnement
Ma voule[n]te toute aco[m]plie
Foulz est qui en Dieu ne se fie
Et quico[n]ques blasme les songes
Et die que ce s[on]t menconges
De cestui ne le di ge mie
Car ie tesmoingne et certifie
Que tout qu[an] que ai recite
Est fine et pure verite
Explicit le [sic]
Ou l'art d'amours est toute enclose
Ce livre de la Rose est
de Jehan de meun et
de G..... de. .......

Roman de la rose digital surrogates of medieval manuscripts

Miniature description

Size:

Column picture.

Height: 11 lines.

Material and colors:

Parchment

Red, blue, green, black, gray, brown, yellow, pink, gold leaf

Initial:

Decorated foliate initial “L” on gilded background. Foliate in red with white ink detail. Stem in blue with white ink detail. Initial is pink with white ink detail. Gold and red with white detail foliate extenders from the top and bottom of the initial partially border the miniature and the left side of the text.

Rubric:

Last line of column a, right before miniature. Reads: “Comment li jaloux bat sa fame”

Frame:

Gilt outer frame. Blue with white detail inner bar frame on left and right and red with white detail inner bar frame on top and bottom.

Background:

Segmental arched brick wall serves as a frame within the miniature, gilded background

Place of production of miniature:

France

Date of production of miniature:

1325-1350

Detailed description

Allegories:

Jealous husband: left-center of composition

Wife: right-center of composition

Neighbour: left-hand side of composition

Neighbours wife*:

* https://dlmm.library.jhu.edu/en/digital-library-of-medieval-manuscripts/ labeled this character as Lady Reason, due to the visual program in the miniature, i.e., the position of hands coupled with the colour and style of clothing, seems to recall Lady Reason. However, considering that the Jealous Husband’s tirade is recounted through Ami, it seems unlikely that the figure portrayed is Lady Reason.

Clothing:

1. Jealous husband

Green hose
Gray knee-length surcote
Gray chaperon
Pouleines

2. Wife

Red floor-length gown

3. Neighbour

Knee-length surcote with buttoned sleeves
Red chaperon with white trim
Green hose
White girdle
Black pouleines

4. Neighbours wife

Blue sleeveless open surcote with white details around the hem
Red kirtle with buttoned sleeves

Gestures:

*Jealous husbands face seems to be scratched out. His face is also scratched out in OBL, Sel. sup. 57, fol. 64r and BNF, Ms. Fr. 12595, fol. 69v.

Wife is on her knees indicating submission and hands are joined in a pleading gesture.

“In some versions of the Jaloux’s abuse, the wife kneels and holds up her hands in a prayer gesture reminiscent of hagiographic iconography where martyrs are depicted as piously enduring physical abuse” (Desmond, Marilynn. Ovid’s Art and the Wife of Bath. The Ethics of Erotic Violence. Ithaca: Cornell UP, 2006: p. 95)

Jealous husband grips wife by her hair, his right hand, holding a club, is raised and ready to strike.

The Neighbour grabs the raised arm in an attempt to stop him.

Objects:

Club

“This weapon […] semiotically connects the husband with the allegorical figure of Dangier, who is usually depicted wielding a club at Amant” (Desmond, Marilynn. Ovid’s Art and the Wife of Bath. The Ethics of Erotic Violence, p. 95) (See 20v -- aimed at Fair Welcoming and 22v aimed at the Lover and Fair welcoming)

Landscape:

Grass ground

Ex-libris

Modern entries concerning author and contents on front pastedown and fol. A. Perhaps owned by Léon Gruel, Paris bookbinder and bookseller, s. XIX/XX (3-page written description with no identifying marks, WAG file, p. 1 formerly affixed to front pastedown, a practice generally observed in manuscripts acquired from Gruel). Purchased between 1895 and 1931.
Fol. 24: Et sachiez que.