Florence, Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale Firenze, Codice Laurenziano Acquisti e Doni 153, fol. 200v, 1300-1350 | MARGOT

Detailed manuscript information (based on Simonetta Mazzoni Peruzzi, Il Codice Laurenziano Acquisti e Doni 153 del Roman de la rose, Florence: Casa editrice Le Lettere, 1986 and Ernest Langlois, Les manuscrits du Roman de la rose. Description et classement, Geneva: Slatkine Reprints, 1974, p. 184-187):

Parchment, measure: 242x77mm, 259 folios, one column of 45 lines. The Roman de la rose is fols 3-257. On fols 257v-259r, a text in Latin has been added (see Langlois for full transcription). Beginning of the fourth folio (formerly the second): Lors esteut jovenes gens entendre.

Scene depicted

Nature's confession to Genius

Miniature description

Size:

242x77mm
Column picture
Height: 7-8 lines

Materials:

Parchment
Red, purple, green, orange

Frame:

Simple frame painted in green, with corner pieces

Background:

The background is solid red.

Placement of miniature:

Directly before priest's response

Place of Production of the Miniature:

France

Date of Production of the Miniature:

1300-1350

Similarities to other images from the corpus:

Gestures:

Genius and Lady Nature are creating the same submissive and blessing positions.

TFM, Ms. 169, fol. 105v

PML, Ms. 132, fol. 121v

Composition:

Both are grisaille

PML, Ms. 132, fol. 121v

Secondary sources:

Mazzoni Peruzzi, Simonetta. Il Codice Laurenziano Acquisti e Doni 153 delRoman de la rose. Florence: Casa editrice Le Lettere, 1986.

Langlois, Ernest. Les manuscrits du Roman de la Rose. Description et classement. Geneva: Slatkine Reprints, 1974, p. 184-187.

Detailed description

Allegories:

Nature is on the left.

Genius (priest) is on the right.

Clothing:

1. Lady Nature:

Long purple robe, probably a cotehardie
White kirtle
White wimple falling to the shoulders

2. Priest:

Long white robe
Orange kirtle
Black shoes
White hood with purple washes

Gestures:

Lady Nature is on both knees, kneeling before the priest in a submissive manner. Her hands are placed together in the act of prayer, and her head is bowed to Genius as she looks at his lap.

Genius is sitting down, his legs together. He is holding Lady Nature's hands in his left hand, while his right hand is placed on top of her head in the act of forgiveness. His head is also bowed, as he looks down at the top of her head.

Objects:

Genius is sitting on a brown bench, placed in front of an altar which has been covered by a purple fabric that falls with illusionistic folds. *Possible symbolism: the bench and the altar evoke the interior of the church. The garments of Genius suggest that he is a bishop, therefore the bench he is sitting on is a cathedra, the seat of power of a bishop.

Ex-libris

Fol. 1v: Hanc romanensem de Amore fabulam, a Guillelmo de Lorris, jurisconsulto et poeta, gallicis versibus, anno circiter 1260 exacratam, ex hereditate Jo. de Menabuonis adquisitam, Ferdinandus III, A.A.M.D.E., Laurentianae bibliothecae muneri dedit, die XV sept., a 194, curante Angelo Mario Bandinio.
Fol. 2v: In modern writing Cy est li Rommant de la Rose, ou tout l'art d'amours est enclose. Manuscript.
Fols 257v-259: Text in Latin (see above)
Fol. 259r: Effaced and illegible ex-libris.
Fol. 259v: Two sales from the XVth century have been noted, both by the same hand:
1. Je vous vent le pré qui fueille,
  Si pri a Dieu du ciel, belle, qu'il vueille
  En vostre cuer metre et escrire
  Ce que le mien ne vous osse dire.
2. Je vous vent la pierre de l'ambre,
  Vostre nature, belle, li resemble,
  Qui trait la busche et tire a soy,
  Si faites vous, belle, le cuer de moy.

Other verses or ex-libris follow, but they are scratched and illegible.

^{© Firenze, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana; su concessione del Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali E' vietata ogni ulteriore riproduzione con qualsiasi mezzo}