The Fitzwilliam Museum, ms. 169, fol. 105v, 1301-1400

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Folio 105v

(According to Ernest Langlois the date is either the very end of the XIVth or the beginning of the XVth century)

Detailed manuscript information (based on The Fitzwilliam Museum and Ernest Langlois, Les manuscrits du Roman de la rose. Description et classement, Geneva: Slatkine Reprints, 1974, p. 150-151):

Parchment, measure: 329x233mm, 137 folios, two rubrics at 39 lines. Beginning of the second folio: De mon lit tantost me levay.


Scene depicted

Nature's confession to Genius

Miniature description

Size:
328x233mm
Column miniature
Height: 10 lines

Materials and colours:
Parchment
Red, green, brown, yellow, white, grey

Initials:
Undecorated blue initial "M"

Rubric:
Near bottom of folio: "Nature parle"; "Genius parle"

Frame:
Simple gold leaf exterior frame, with thin red inner border on the left, top, and right sides.

Landscape:
Long light green grass with dark green background, starting at the bottom and covering two-thirds of the miniature.  At the top of the grass there are two trees, one on the far left and one on the far right. The tree on the left has seven branches and the tree on the right has six branches; both trees have yellow flowers.
Behind the trees and above the grass is a dark background, covered with yellow flowers and small red and white garden pattern (similar to filigree designs).

Placement of miniature:
Directly before priest's response

Place of Production of the Miniature:
France

Date of Production of the Miniature:
1301-1400

Similarities to other images from the corpus:
Gestures:
Genius and Lady Nature are creating the same submissive and blessing positions: PML, Ms. 132, fol. 121v; BNFC, fol 200v
Composition:
Similar dress with Nature and Genius. Genius is wearing the same head covering: PML, Ms. 132, fol. 121v; BNFC, fol 200v

Secondary sources:
Langlois, Ernest. Les manuscrits du Roman de la Rose. Description et classement. Geneva: Slatkine Reprints, 1974, p. 150-151.

Detailed description

Allegories: 
Lady Nature is on the left.
Genius (represented as a priest) is on the right.
 
Clothing:
1. Lady Nature
  • Long red cotehardie with tight fitting sleeves
  • White wimple falling to the shoulders 
2. Genius
  • Long white habit with a red kirtle
  • Brown hood
 
Gestures:
Lady Nature is on both knees, kneeling before Genius. Her hands are joined in prayer, facing up, and her neck is straight as she faces forward.  Genius is sitting down, looking straight at Lady Nature. His right hand is placed on top of her head; his left hand is placed on top of her hands, showing the gesture of forgiveness.
 
Objects:
Genius is sitting on a small elevated grey bench. *Possible symbolism: The clothing and the bench suggest that Genius is a bishop who is sitting on his cathedra, symbol of his authority and power.

© Reproduction by Permission of the Syndics of the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge

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