Bibliothèque nationale de France Ms fr. 380, fol. 29v, ca. 1400 | MARGOT

Detailed manuscript information (based on Ernest Langlois, Les manuscrits du Roman de la rose. Description et classement, Geneva: Slatkine Reprints, 1974, p. 5-6).

Parchment, measure: 374x280mm, 160 fols at two columns, 41 lines. Beginning of second folio: Ens en le mileu vi Haïne. Bound in the coat of arms of Colbert. This manuscript contains the Roman de la rose (fols 1-139r), the Testament (fols 140r-153r) by Jean de Meun, the Sept articles de la foi (fols 154r-159v) by Jean Chapuis and the Codicille (159v-160r).

Scene depicted

Lady Reason descends from her tower to instruct the Lover in the art of love.

Miniature description

Size:

Column picture. Framed miniature height: 7 lines. Tower extends from left side of frame height: 18 lines.

Material and colors:

Parchment

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

Initals:

Pen-flourished initial “T” placed 7 lines above the frame next to the red turret on the tower. Detail in black ink. Ink detail extends from the top and the bottom of the left side of the initial.

Rubric:

2 Rubrics. The first placed above the pen-flourished initial “A” reads simply “l’Amant”. The second, place immediately above the frame reads “Comment Raison enseigne lamant”.

Frame:

Gilt outer frame with red/white and blue/white bar inner frame surrounds top right and bottom of miniature. Foliate tendrils extend from bottom and right hand side of frame.

Background:

Diaper pattern background. Diagonal grid background alternates gold - red/white - blue/white pattern.

Placement of Miniature:

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

Place of production of miniature:

Paris, France (?)

Date of production of miniature:

ca. 1400.

Similarities with other images from corpus:

There are subtle similarities with the miniature found in FR12595, fol. 33v. First, with the colouring used for the garments of the Lover and Lady Reason. Second, Lady Reason’s pink tower, which extends outside of the frame, is also mirrored (positioning is reversed in FR12595, fol. 33v: Lady reason and her tower are on the right hand-side). Both of these miniatures feature pen-flourished initial “T”, with black ink detailing. In addition, the Lover's gestures matches depiction in BSG 1126.

Secondary sources :

Fleming, John V..TheRoman 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 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 (Fleming 114).

Detailed description

Allegories:

Lady Reason on the left.

Lover on the right.

Clothing:

1. Lady Reason

Gold crown
Pink gown
Blue kirtle

2. Lover

Blue and white lined courtepy
Red bombards
Black girdle
Red and white parti-colored hose

Gestures:

The Lover's right hand is place over his heart signifying respect and devotion.

Objects:

Pink crenelated tower with red turret and topped with red and gold finial extends from left. Portico entrance. Arched doorway extends from the tower. Rectangular window and 3 loopholes are visible on the left side of the tower. One arched widow on the front of the tower.

Landscape:

Grass ground placing the scene in the garden

Ex-libris

On a flyleaf: Le Romant de la Rose. Est a Jehan, filz de roy de France, duc de Berry et d'Auvergne, conte de Poitou, d'Estampes, de Bouloingne et d'Auvergne. Flamel.
Fol. 160r: Ce livre est au duc de Berry. Jehan . The Duke of Berry had received it on July 7 (or June) 1403 from Martin Gouge, bishop of Chartres and the duke's treasurer. It was given to Guillaume Lurin on March 3, 1414. (Langlois, 5 n.1)