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Add MS 18856
- Record Id:
- 040-002095474
- Hierarchy Root Ancestor Record Id:
- 032-002095473
- MDARK:
- ark:/81055/vdc_100000001517.0x0002ad
- LARK:
- ark:/81055/vdc_100173569818.0x000001
- SLARK:
- Format:
- ISAD(G)
- Reference (shelfmark):
- Add MS 18856
- Title:
- Guyart des Moulins, Bible historiale (Bible hystoriaulx) (1st of 2 volumes)
- Scope & Content:
-
This large codex is the first of two volumes comprising an illuminated copy of Guyart des Moulins's Bible historiale (Bible hystoriaulx), a French adaptation of Petrus Comestor's Historia scholastica, known as La Grande Bible historiale complétée (Fournié, 'Les manuscrits de la Bible historiale' (2009), para. 51-52). The manuscript was likely produced in Paris between 1410-15. The first volume includes Genesis-Psalms; for the second volume see Additional MS 18857.
Contents:
f. 1: Guyart des Moulins's preface of 1297, rubric: 'Cy commence la bible hystoriaulx ou les hystoires escolastres', incipit: 'Pour ce que le deable'.
ff. 1r-2r: A table of contents for the whole work.
ff. 2r-2v: Translation of Peter Comestor's preface, rubric: 'C est une lettre que le maistre en hystoires qui pierres prestres ou doyens de Troyes', incipit: 'A honorable pere'.
f. 2v: Guyart des Moulins's note on translation, incipit: 'Cy doit en savoir'.
ff. 3r-3v: Proem, rubric: 'De la creation du ciel empire et les quatres elemens', incipit: 'En palais de Roy et de empereur appartient'.
ff. 3v-105v: Pentateuch (each preceded by a table of contents).
ff. 105v-111v: Joshua (preceded by table of contents); Book 2: (ff. 121r-186r).
ff. 111v-121r: Judges (preceded by table of contents).
ff. 121r-122v: Ruth.
ff. 122v-184r: 1-4 Kings (each book preceded by table of contents).
ff. 184r-206v: Paralimpomenon.
ff. 206v-210v: Esdras Book 1.
ff. 211r-216r: Nehemiah.
ff. 216r-221v: Esdras Book 2.
ff. 221v-225v: Tobit (preceded by table of contents).
ff. 226r-237v: 'Les livres Iheremie, Ezechiel, Daniel et Susanne' (preceded by table of contents).
ff. 237v-246r: Judith (preceded by table of contents).
ff. 246r-251r: Esther.
ff. 251r-254v: 'Du roy Ochum' (preceded by table of contents).
ff. 254v-264v: 'Job le bon et pascient' (preceded by table of contents).
ff. 264v-265v: Abridged Job (preceded by table of contents).
ff. 266r-296r: Psalter with Canticles and Litany.
Decoration:
1 full-page framed miniature with 2 historiated initials and rinceaux full border containing 8 roundels, with added coat of arms, in colours with gold (f. 3r). 1 half-page framed miniature of the 12 Tribes of Israel with full rinceaux border and added coat of arms, in colours with gold (f. 78r). 95 column-width framed miniatures, each with partial border and an initial in rose or blue on a gold ground with floriate decoration, in colours and gold (ff. 1r, 3v, 4r, 4v, 5r, 5v, 6r, 6v, 7v, 8r, 8v, 9r, 10v, 11r, 11v, 12r, 14v, 15v, 16v, 17v, 19v, 21r, 22r, 23r, 24r, 25r, 28v, 29v, 31r, 33r, 34v, 37v, 40r, 44r, 53v, 56r, 68v, 76v, 90r, 93r, 105v, 109v, 112r, 115v, 118r, 118v, 119r, 121r, 123r, 126r, 129v, 132v, 135v, 137r, 139v, 142v, 144r, 147r, 150r, 152v, 154v, 157r, 159v, 161v, 165r, 168v, 171r, 175r, 179v, 182v, 184r, 194v, 207r, 211r, 216r, 222r, 226r, 228r, 233v, 235r, 238r, 241r, 246r, 251v, 255r, 265r, 269r, 272r, 274v, 277v, 280v, 284r, 287r). Numerous small initials in gold, blue and rose with pen-flourishing. Running titles in gold and blue, with decoration in red and black and with rinceaux border above. Rubrics in red.
Several of the illuminations have been attributed to the Master of the Bedford Hours (ff. 1r, 14r, 21v, 57v, 138v-162r, 199r, 204r, 214r-218r, 222r-224r, 239v-243r) and the Master of the Cité des Dames (ff. 15v, 38v, 80v, 83r, 102r, 110r, 112v, 113v, 117r, 118v, 120v, 122r, 126r, 172r, 200r, 209r, 212r, 219r, 219v, 221r, 227v, 244v, 245r) according to Meiss, French Painting (1974), pp. 365 and 379 (see also McKendrick and Doyle, The Art of the Bible (2016), no. 40).
The subject of the miniatures are:
f. 1r: Guyard des Moulins at a desk;
f. 3r: A full-page illumination of God with the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist, surrounded by angels and cherabim (above), a winged and crowned personification of Wisdom holding a chest and addressing a council of the church from above (centre), the four Evangelists (below) and scenes from the Old and New Testament in roundels, with a full rinceaux border;
f. 3v: God creating the earth;
f. 4r: God separating the light from the darkness;
f. 4v: God creating the firmament;
f. 5r: God creating the land and vegetation;
f. 5v: God creating the sun and moon;
f. 6r: God creating fish and birds;
f. 6v: God creating animals;
f. 7v: God resting;
f. 8r: God creating Adam;
f. 8v: God creating Eve;
f. 9r: The Fall;
f. 10v: Expulsion from Paradise;
f. 11r: Sacrifices of Cain and Abel;
f. 11v: Cain labouring; Cain killing Abel;
f. 12r: Progeny of Cain tending sheep;
f. 14v: Construction of Noah's Ark; filling of the Ark with beasts;
f. 15v: Noah's sacrificial offering;
f. 16v: Noah's sons covering his nakedness;
f. 17v: Building of the Tower of Babel;
f. 19v: Victory of Abraham against Melchizedek;
f. 21r: Circumcision of Ishmael;
f. 22r: God and two angels appearing to Abraham at Mamre;
f. 23r: Destruction of Sodom;
f. 24r: Birth and Circumcision of Isaac;
f. 25r: Sacrifice of Isaac;
f. 28v: Isaac blessing Jacob and Rebecca with Esau;
f. 29v: Jacob and the ladder;
f. 31r: Jacob guarding the sheep;
f. 33r: Meeting between Esau and Jacob;
f. 34v: Joseph sold to merchants by his brothers;
f. 37v: Joseph and his brothers in Egypt;
f. 40r: Joseph presenting his father to the Pharaoh;
f. 44r: Pharaoh instructing the midwives to kill the children of Israel(?);
f. 53v: Waters of Marah;
f. 56r: Moses receiving the Ten Commandments and showing them to the Israelites;
f. 68v: Sacrifice of a lamb;
f. 76v: God appearing to Moses at Sinai in the Tabernacle of the Covenant;
f. 78r: A half-page framed miniature of the encampments of the twelve tribes of Israel, divided into four groups each with their armies and white standards: Orient (east): Judas, Isachar and Zabulon (above); Septentrion (north): Dan, Asser and Neptali (right); Occident (west): Efraim, Benjamin, Manassés (below); Midi (south): Ruben, Simeon and Gad (left), with the arms of France and England above and a full rinceaux border;
f. 90r: Moses on Mount Nebo (?);
f. 93r: Moses expounding on the Law to the Israelites;
f. 105v: Joshua commanding the princes of the Israelites;
f. 109v: Death of the fourteen kings;
f. 112r: Judah leading the Israelites in battle;
f. 115v: Abimelech and Baal;
f. 118r: Samson defeating the lion;
f. 118v: Samson slaughtering the Philistines with the jawbone of an ass;
f. 119r: Delilah cutting Samson's hair;
f. 121r: Ruth and Naomi in the field with Booz;
f. 123r: Anna and Elkanah praying for a child;
f. 126r: Saul is anointed king by Samuel;
f. 129v: David and Goliath;
f. 132v: Messenger of Ziph before Saul;
f. 135v: Killing of the messenger who told David of the death of Saul;
f. 137v: David conquering Jerusalem;
f. 139v: Nathan, God and David;
f. 142v: Death of Absalom;
f. 144r: Death of Amasa;
f. 147r: Coronation of Solomon;
f. 150r: Judgment of Solomon;
f. 152v: Cherubim of Solomon's Temple;
f. 154v: Sea of Bronze in Solomon's Temple;
f. 157r: Solomon and the Queen of Sheba;
f. 159v: Massacre of the idols;
f. 161v: Elijah destroying the priests and idols;
f. 165r: Ahaziah, king of the Israelites;
f. 168v: Israelites conquer Samaria;
f. 171r: Coronation of Joas;
f. 174r: Hoshea, last king of Israel, is taken prisoner;
f. 179v: Death of Saul and the discovery of the Book of Deuteronomy;
f. 182v: Babylonians attack Jerusalem;
f. 184r: Tree of Jesse;
f. 194v: God appears to Solomon;
f. 207r: Cyrus overseeing the rebuilding of the Temple;
f. 211r: Nehemiah and the destruction of the walls of Jerusalem;
f. 216r: Sacrificial offerings to God by the priests of Israel;
f. 222r: Angel Raphael sent to heal blind Tobit;
f. 226r: Murder of Gedaliah;
f. 228r: Nebuchadnezzar's dream of four kingdoms;
f. 233v: Susanna leading the hanging and punishment of the elders;
f. 235r: Daniel destroys the idol of Baal and the false priests;
f. 238r: Nebuchadnezzer instructing Holofernes;
f. 242r: Judith and her maid with the head of Holofernes;
f. 246r: King Ahasuerus hosting a banquet;
f. 251v: King Ochum;
f. 255r: Trial of Job;
f. 265r: Job's riches, family and possessions are returned;
f. 269r: David pointing to his eye;
f. 272r: David pointing to his lips;
f. 274v: A fool (?);
f. 277v: David submerged;
f. 280v: David ringing bells;
f. 284r: Three monks singing before David;
f. 287r: Christ and God.
- Collection Area:
- Western Manuscripts
- Project / Collection:
- Additional Manuscripts
- Hierarchy Record Ids:
- 032-002095473
040-002095474 - Is part of:
- Add MS 18856-18857 : "LA BIBLE Hystoriaulz, ou les hystoires escolastres;" translated from the Latin of Petrus Comestor by Guyart des…
Add MS 18856 : Guyart des Moulins, Bible historiale (Bible hystoriaulx) (1st of 2 volumes) - Hierarchy:
- 032-002095473[0001]/040-002095474
- Container:
- View / search within Archive / Collection: Add MS 18856-18857
- Record Type (Level):
- File
- Extent:
-
Parchment codex
- Digitised Content:
- http://access.bl.uk/item/viewer/ark:/81055/vdc_100173569818.0x000001 (digital images currently unavailable)
- Thumbnail:
-
- Languages:
- French
- Scripts:
- Latin
- Start Date:
- 1410
- End Date:
- 1420
- Date Range:
- c 1415
- Era:
- CE
- Access:
-
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- User Conditions:
- Letter of introduction required to view this manuscript.
- Physical Characteristics:
-
Dimensions: 450 x 330 mm (text space 290 x 200 mm) in two columns.
Official foliation: ff. i + 296 [where f. i is a paper pastedown; + 1 unfoliated parchment flyleaf and 3 unfoliated paper flyleaves at the beginning and at the end].
Script: Gothic.
Binding: Post-1600. Brown leather with gold tooling; gilt fore-edge.
- Custodial History:
-
Origin: France, Central (Paris).
Provenance: Charles de Valois (b. 1446, d. 1472), duke of Normandy, his arms added (ff. 3 , 78): may have been acquired by him after he was granted the Duchy of Normandy in 1465-1466.
Inscribed, 17th-century 'J. Hazeu': pasted on the upper parchment flyleaf (f. i): 'DEEZE BYBEL SPREEKT. Kwas in de Waereld, eer de Drukkonst zag het Leeven: Myn Maaker heeft tot Roem! my met de Pen geschreeven: Geschilderd met’t Penceel; één Proefstuk van geduld! Wind by bolmaakt in my, op’t Heerelykst verbvuld. J. HAZEU. Cz'.
Sir John Tobin (b. 1763, d. 1851), Liverpool shipping merchant: purchased by him from R. H. Evans, London bookseller, in 1833 and given to his son, John Tobin, in 1838.
Reverend John Tobin (b. 1809) of Liscard Hall, near Brighton: sold by him to William Boone, London bookseller in 1851.
Purchased by the British Museum from William Boone, London bookseller, 2 February 1852 (a note on f. iv).
- Information About Copies:
-
Full digital coverage available for this manuscript; see Digital Manuscripts, https://bl.uk/manuscripts/.
Select digital coverage available for this manuscript; see the Catalogue of Illuminated Manuscripts, http://www.bl.uk/catalogues/illuminatedmanuscripts/.
- Publications:
-
Catalogue of Additions to the Manuscripts in the British Museum in the Years 1848-1853 (London: British Museum, 1868), p. 161.
Walter de Gray Birch and Henry Jenner, Early Drawings and Illuminations: An Introduction to the Study of Ilustrated Manuscripts (London: Bagster and Sons, 1879), p. 11.
Samuel Berger, La bible française au moyen âge (Paris: Champion, 1884), pp. 206, 219, 406-07.
Rosy Schilling, 'The Master of Egerton 1070 (Hours of Rene d'Anjou)', Scriptorium, 8 (1954), 272-82 (p. 279 n. 24).
Millard Meiss, 'The "De Levis Hours" and the Bedford Workshop', Yale Lectures on Medieval Illumination (New Haven, 1972), pp. 22-24, figs 51, 57, 58.
Millard Meiss with Sharon Off Dunlap Smith and Elizabeth Home Beaton, French Painting in the Time of Jean de Berry: The Limbourgs and Their Contemporaries, 2 vols (London: Thames and Hudson, 1974), pp. 364-65, 379.
Janet Backhouse, The Illuminated Page: Ten Centuries of Manuscript Painting in the British Library (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1997), no. 138.
Pamela Tudor-Craig, 'The Iconography of Wisdom and the Frontispiece to the Bible historiale, British Library, Additional Manuscript 18856', in The Church and Learning in Later Medieval Society: Essays in Honour of R. B. Dobson, ed. by Caroline M. Barron and Jenny Stratford, Harlaxton Medieval Studies 11 (Donington: 2002), pp. 110-27.
Scot McKendrick and Kathleen Doyle, Bible Manuscripts: 1400 Years of Scribes and Scholars (London: British Library, 2007), no. 128.
Eléonore Fournié, L'iconographie de la 'Bible historiale', Répertoire Iconographique de la Littérature du Moyen Age, 2 (Turnhout: Brepols, 2012), pp. 14, 16, 19, 34, 55, 108.
Thomas Flum, 'Die Titelbilder der "Bible historiale": Zwischen Standardisierung und Personalisierung', Das Mittelalter, 18 (2013), 62– 86 (pp. 72-78, fig. 5).
Eléonore Fournié, 'Catalogue des manuscrits de la Bible historiale (2/3)', online at [https://acrh.revues.org/1468?lang=en#tocto1n2] [accessed 20.11.15].
Gregory T. Clark, Art in a Time of War (Toronto: Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies, 2016), pp. 260-61.
Scot McKendrick and Kathleen Doyle, The Art of the Bible: Illuminated Manuscripts from the Medieval World (London: Thames and Hudson and British Library, 2016), no. 40.
Robert Schindler, Die bebilderte Enea Silvio Piccolomini Handschrift des Charles de France: Ein Beitrag zur Buchmalerei in Bourges und zum Humanismus in Frankreich, Ars Nova, XVII (Turnhout: Brepols, 2016), pp. 152-52 [catalogue description].
- Material Type:
- Archives and Manuscripts
- Legal Status:
- Not Public Record(s)