Bibliothèque nationale de France Ms fr. 12595, fol. 52v, XVth century

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Folio 52v Detailed manuscript information (based on Ernest Langlois, Les manuscrits du Roman de la rose. Description et classement, Geneva: Slatkine Reprints, 1974, p. 48-49):

Parchment, measure: 325x231mm, 200 fols numbered by a rubricator, at two columns, 37 lines. Beginning of second folio: D'un aiguillier mignot et gent. Binding with Napoleon's coat of arms. The Roman appears on fols 1-157r, followed by the Testament on fols 158r-167v. Fol. 168 is left blank followed by the Sept articles de la foi on fols 169r-200r and the Codicille on fol. 200r-v.

Scene depicted

Lover responds to Reason.

Miniature description

Size:

Column picture.

Height: 12 Lines

Material and colors:

Pink, white, blue, red, white, green, gold leaf

Initial:

Pen-flourished initial “D” (2 lines). Located below the miniature. Gilded initial with black ink background detail.

Rubric:

Bottom of left column. Reads: "Lamant qui respond a raison.”

Frame:

Gilded outer border with red and white inner bars. Foliate tendrils with golden leaves extend from left, top and right side of the frame.

Background:

Diaper pattern background. Diagonal grid is composed of 3 thin gilded lines painted over black background. Fleur-de-lys detail on lozenges.

Place of production of miniatures:

Paris, France

Date of production of miniatures:

15th century

Secondary sources :

Fleming, John V. TheRoman de la Rose: a Study in Allegory and Iconography. Princeton: Princeton UP, 1969.

Lady Reason is typically thought of as a queen, represented with a crown and standing by or descending from her tower, a symbol of her exalted station and a reminder that she descends to aid man. Sometimes wears the scarf of 14thcentury Gothic Virgins (Fleming 113).
Reason shares the iconographical attributes of Lady Philosophy, kinship with Divine Sapience, or the Second Person of the Trinity in both Guillaume and Jean (Flemming 114).