Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Codex 2592, fol. 31v, 1350-1400 | MARGOT

Detailed manuscript information (based on Alfred Kuhn, "Die Illustration des Rosenromans" Jahrbuch der Kunsthistorischen Sammlungen des allerhöchsten Kaiserhauses. 31.1 (1912): 1-66.

Parchment, measure: 300x212, two columns at 40 lines. Beginning of second folio: Mon vis refraichi et lave. The manuscript contains the Roman de la rose on fols 1-147, and Jean de Meun's Testament on fols 148r-175v.

Scene depicted

Lady Reason instructs the Lover in the art of love.

Miniature description

Size:

Column picture.

Height: 13 lines

Material and colors:

Parchment

Pink, red, blue, back, gold leaf

Initial:

Decorated foliate initial “B” extends from the bottom left side of the frame. The ‘B’ appears on a gilded background. The letter itself is blue with white ink detail. Gilded extenders with blue, red and white detail from the top and bottom of the ‘B’ create a border on the left side of the second column. The top and bottom of extender is composed of red, white, blue and gilded foliate.

Rubric:

Rubric is place above image and reads “Com[men]t Raison v[e]nit p[ar]ler a lamant”

Frame:

Gilded outer frame with red and white border as an inner frame. Gilded foliate leaves extend from the right side of the frame. With gilt “sperm” on the right and left side of the miniature.

Background:

Diaper pattern background. Square gilded grid with red and blue squares. Star pattern with ‘X’ inscribed in red and blue squares. Image topped with a gilded decorative arch.

Placement of miniature:

Placement of miniature after textual description matches BMC, Ms. 207, ÖNB Codex 2592, BNF, Ms. Fr. 380, PML, Ms. M. 324

Place of production of the miniature:

Paris, France.

Date of production of the miniature:

1350-1400.

Similarities with other images from the corpus:

Lady Reason matches gestures depicted in all three miniatures from BNF, Ms. Fr. 12595 as well as gestures in PML, Ms. M. 324, ÖNB Codex 2592, BMC, Ms. 207, KBR, Ms. 4782.

Secondary sources:

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

Lady Reason 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 14th century 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 (Fleming 114)

Detailed description

Allegories:

Lady Reason on the right.

The Lover on the left.

Clothing:

1. Lady Reason

Pink Kirtle
Blue gown
Red open hood

2. Lover

Red chaperon
Black, white and red tipped pouleines
Blue kirtle
Pink sleeveless surcot

Gestures:

Lady Reason's index finger is elevated in a gesture of speech signifying her role as a teacher.

Lover listens attentively with his arms behind his back situating him in the role of pupil.

Ex-libris

In 1720, the purchase of this manuscript was ordered by Karl VI.
In the Geschichte der kfönigkaiserlichen Hofbibliothek, Fr. Edler von Mosel states that an entire collection of 251 manuscripts was acquired in addition to 6731 printed works plus 56 printed works with handwritten commentary. The Roman de la rose is described as follows: Le Roman de la rose, avec le codicile de maistre Jehan de Meun. Ein Manuskript aus dem vierzehnten Jahrhundert auf Velin in Fol., mit goldenen Initialen und einer Menge eben so schön ausgeführter als wohlerhaltener Miniaturen. In rohtem Maroquin mit Goldschnitt. (Vienna, 1835, 103).