Bibliothèque interuniversitaire section médecine, Université Montpellier, H245, fol. 118v, 1375-140 | MARGOT

Detailed manuscript information (based on Ernest Langlois, Les manuscrits du Roman de la rose. Description et classement, Geneva: Slatkine Reprints, 1974, p. 134-35):

Parchment, measure: 305x216mm, 157 fols. at two columns 42 lines. Beginning of second folio: Et qui de vous se part et emble. The Roman de la rose is on fols 1r to 131r, followed by the Codicille on fols 131r-v and the Testament on fols 131r-157r.

Scene depicted

Genius absolves Nature

Miniature description

Size:

305x216mm

Column miniature

Height: 8 lines

Materials:

Parchment

Gold leaf, blue, white, red, purple, yellow, green, brown

Initials:

Partial foliate blue initial "S" over a gold leaf background. Gold leaf foliate extender appear to spring upwards and downwards.

Rubric:

Directly above miniature: "Si comme genius absoult nature"

Frame:

Simple exterior gold leaf frame with corner pieces, and a thicker inner blue frame with white zig zag patterns over a blue background.

Background:

Red background with thin gold leaf diaper pattern (checkerboard with crosses). A small patch of grass extends from one side to the other, underneath Genius and Nature.

Placement of miniature:

Directly after Nature's confession

Place of Production of the Miniature:

France

Date of Production of the Miniature:

1375-1400

Similarities to other images from the corpus:

Gestures:

PML, MS. 324 fol. 128v

BSG, MS. 1126, fol.139r2

LBG, MS. FR178, fol. 143r

BSG, MS. 1126, fol. 139r

Secondary Sources:

Langlois, Ernest. Les manuscrits du Roman de la Rose. Description et classement. Geneva: Slatkine Reprints, 1974, p. 134-35.

Detailed description

Allegories:

Nature is on the left.

Genius is on the right.

Clothing:

1. Lady Nature

Blue cotehardie with white tippets
Yellow kirtle
Black poulaines
Blonde hair tied in crespines framing her face

2. Genius dressed as a bishop

White alb
Red and purple cape, clasped with a diamond shaped morse
White mitre
Blonde dorlot and curls frame his face

Gestures:

Nature is kneeling on one knee, her hands together in prayer, looking downwards.

Genius is sitting with his left hand resting on his lap and his right hand on Nature's head, absolving her of her sins. He is looking straight ahead, over the head of Lady Nature.

Objects:

Genius is sitting in a large wooden chair that has a tall, thin back. The chair represents the cathedra, the bishop's seat, and is reminiscent of a Gothic cathedral (the use of a pinnacle on the back is a reference to architectural motifs).

Ex-libris

Fols 1r and repeated on 157r: The signature of P. Florimond dated from 1567.
On the first flyleaf: Ms. de la bibliothèque de Mr. le P. Bouhier .C. 33. MDCCXXI.
At the end, the following lines have been added:
1. Explicit le Romans de la Rose,
  Ou l'Art d'Amours est toute enclose.
  Nature rit, si com moy semble,
  Quant hic et hec joingnent ensemble.

At the end of the manuscript, a booklet has been appended containing Remarques sur le Roman de la Rose by M. Lucotte, S^r du Tillot. Two of these remarks are perhaps noteworthy:

A Rome, dans la bibliothèque du cardinal Bagny, il y a un Roman de la Rose écrit de la main d'un nommé Nicolas Flamel, qui étoit un écrivain qui travailloit et négocioit à Paris et ailleurs pour les juifs en l'année 1393.
Il y a encore un ms. du Roman de la Rose dans la bibliothèque d'Oxford, qui est très bien écrit sur du velin avec de fort jolies figures en miniature, qui est une marque de son antiquité.