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Details
ANTIPHONAL, use of Besanon, in Latin, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM
[Besanon, c.1375]
291 x 212mm. 218 leaves: 1-28, 34(lacking iii-vi?), 4-278, 284 (of 8), 292, two columns of 13 lines of text between 13 lines of music of square notation on a four-line red stave, all written in black ink, some faded towards brown, rubrics in red, numerous calligraphic and vigorously flourished initials in red, blue and black, some touched with yellow and brown, catchwords similarly flourished, the more elaborate flourishing including heads, grotesques, animals and texts, TWENTY-EIGHT VERY LARGE FLOURISHED INITIALS with elaborate penwork infilling and full-length pen- and brush-work borders featuring half fleur de lys in red and blue, DRAWING of wine tasting; LARGE MINIATURE accompanied by a large initial and border in gold, blue and red, added leather tabs to mark major offices, one earlier parchment tab manufactured by cutting and slotting through a strip of vellum on f.141 (original stitched holes and two later repairs, some pages slightly worn and rubbed, decoration slightly cropped in upper margins, lateral margin f.4 excised). Original leather over wooden boards with pins to secure clasps (worn, rebacked and with restorations, worm damage to upper cover, lacking clasps).
PROVENANCE:
1. Antiphonal for the Use of Besanon, including the Office of St Ferrol, f.99v
2. Jehan Chanboz des Charettes, filz de Huguenin Chanboz des Charettes: inscription in a 16th-century hand on f.40v
3. In 1593-4 in the parish of Asnans, canton de Chaussin, arrondissement de Dle: 'Le 10e octobre 1593 messire abraham gaugin de Chaulsin commenca de desservir a la cure dasnans don't il fut dix moy a cause quil fut en haine de deux felont (?) dont il fut contrainct den sortir le xxie Aoust 1594: inscription in the margin of f.101v. Annotations suggest that the book was in use into at least the 17th century.
4. Jeunet, 1731: inscription in capitals in the margin of f.80
5. Madame Thodore Belin: lot 1, 19 February 1936, Boisgirard, Paris
6.Manuscript annotations in French by a subsequent owner pasted inside front cover
CONTENT:
Antiphonal for the Use of Besanon; (lacks beginning), opening at the third nocturne of matins for Monday after Epiphany (f.1) and ending with the Feast of Sts Peter and Paul (f.218)
ILLUMINATION:
The individuality and appeal of this manuscript lie in the animated and imaginative pen and wash drawings that are provided in and around the initials. These are sometimes related to the Antiphonal's contents and function, but in other cases they seem delightfully fantastic. At times, perhaps, too frivolous for a later owner; the lovers at the office of St Catherine have been censured by erasure (f.161). Throughout, the people in these initials are shown in contemporary dress and on the basis of the costume the manuscript can be dated c.1375. The uninhibited and informal style of illustration suggests that the manuscript was not made in a major centre of book production, and was perhaps made in Besanon itself. In the 16th century, the Antiphonal was in the area of Chaussin, south of Dle and south-east of Besanon and it is possible that it had always been in use there. A comparison with the Terrier de Chaussin written in 1373, which has pen and brush illustration somewhat similar in its lop-sided architecture and choice of decorative motifs (Y. Zaluska, Manuscrits enlumins de Dijon, Paris, 1991, no.228, pl.XCVII), supports such a localisation and the dating of the Antiphonal to around 1375.
The two large illustrations are as follows:
f.70 Miniature for Easter Sunday, across both columns, of the Three Maries approaching the empty sepulchre on which an angel sits to tell them of the Resurrection. In the three niches along the side of the Tomb appear three diminutive soldiers. The dramatic interactions of the figures are typical of the artist.
f.196v Drawing across single column in pen and brushwork; within a towered building, with a large fleur de lys banner, a wine cask is broached and the contents offered to two men; outside a man holding ?a fishtrap is offered a bowl of wine. Numerous inscriptions apparently relating to giving good measure and quality.
The range and nature of the drawings in and around initials can be gauged from the selection described below:
f.54 An angel flies down with the scroll 'loquere filius israel', the words spoken to Moses in the text below; the scroll is brandished level with the eye of a monstrous head.
f.65 Christ on the Cross for the Good Friday Office
f.91 Kneeling man in parti red and white holding a fleur de lys
f.91v Head and ?breast within Q, flanked by a large head with a speech scroll 'chante bien valat', presumably addressed to the reader
f.121 A head with a flower patterned cloth and flowers sprouting from the mouth with the scroll 'moys de maie'
f.123 A head watches a dragon spouting flames
f.132v A small figure aims a spear at the eye of a monstrous head; his scroll begins 'ne soignes...'
f.141v Giant head with scroll 'corial chantez bien'
f.142 A church abutted by a giant head, a spray of flowers and a pair of lovers embracing, at the opening of the Office for the Dedication of a church
f.147v On one side a trumpeter with a banner, to the right a man
leaning out menacing a barefoot youth with a birch, 'chantes bien que
tu ne soies batus'
f.149v A dog jumps up towards a giant face 'vie....vie'? An embracing man and a woman at bustlength
f.190 Dives and Lazarus, recounted in the text below; Dives feasts
with two companions in the initial; a half-length servant looses two dogs on Lazarus, who is spotted red with leprosy and holding the clapper of the unclean; another dog licks his foot
f.213v catchword enclosed in scarf waved over the head of a figure rising from stars
[Besanon, c.1375]
291 x 212mm. 218 leaves: 1-2
PROVENANCE:
1. Antiphonal for the Use of Besanon, including the Office of St Ferrol, f.99v
2. Jehan Chanboz des Charettes, filz de Huguenin Chanboz des Charettes: inscription in a 16th-century hand on f.40v
3. In 1593-4 in the parish of Asnans, canton de Chaussin, arrondissement de Dle: 'Le 10e octobre 1593 messire abraham gaugin de Chaulsin commenca de desservir a la cure dasnans don't il fut dix moy a cause quil fut en haine de deux felont (?) dont il fut contrainct den sortir le xxie Aoust 1594: inscription in the margin of f.101v. Annotations suggest that the book was in use into at least the 17th century.
4. Jeunet, 1731: inscription in capitals in the margin of f.80
5. Madame Thodore Belin: lot 1, 19 February 1936, Boisgirard, Paris
6.Manuscript annotations in French by a subsequent owner pasted inside front cover
CONTENT:
Antiphonal for the Use of Besanon; (lacks beginning), opening at the third nocturne of matins for Monday after Epiphany (f.1) and ending with the Feast of Sts Peter and Paul (f.218)
ILLUMINATION:
The individuality and appeal of this manuscript lie in the animated and imaginative pen and wash drawings that are provided in and around the initials. These are sometimes related to the Antiphonal's contents and function, but in other cases they seem delightfully fantastic. At times, perhaps, too frivolous for a later owner; the lovers at the office of St Catherine have been censured by erasure (f.161). Throughout, the people in these initials are shown in contemporary dress and on the basis of the costume the manuscript can be dated c.1375. The uninhibited and informal style of illustration suggests that the manuscript was not made in a major centre of book production, and was perhaps made in Besanon itself. In the 16th century, the Antiphonal was in the area of Chaussin, south of Dle and south-east of Besanon and it is possible that it had always been in use there. A comparison with the Terrier de Chaussin written in 1373, which has pen and brush illustration somewhat similar in its lop-sided architecture and choice of decorative motifs (Y. Zaluska, Manuscrits enlumins de Dijon, Paris, 1991, no.228, pl.XCVII), supports such a localisation and the dating of the Antiphonal to around 1375.
The two large illustrations are as follows:
f.70 Miniature for Easter Sunday, across both columns, of the Three Maries approaching the empty sepulchre on which an angel sits to tell them of the Resurrection. In the three niches along the side of the Tomb appear three diminutive soldiers. The dramatic interactions of the figures are typical of the artist.
f.196v Drawing across single column in pen and brushwork; within a towered building, with a large fleur de lys banner, a wine cask is broached and the contents offered to two men; outside a man holding ?a fishtrap is offered a bowl of wine. Numerous inscriptions apparently relating to giving good measure and quality.
The range and nature of the drawings in and around initials can be gauged from the selection described below:
f.54 An angel flies down with the scroll 'loquere filius israel', the words spoken to Moses in the text below; the scroll is brandished level with the eye of a monstrous head.
f.65 Christ on the Cross for the Good Friday Office
f.91 Kneeling man in parti red and white holding a fleur de lys
f.91v Head and ?breast within Q, flanked by a large head with a speech scroll 'chante bien valat', presumably addressed to the reader
f.121 A head with a flower patterned cloth and flowers sprouting from the mouth with the scroll 'moys de maie'
f.123 A head watches a dragon spouting flames
f.132v A small figure aims a spear at the eye of a monstrous head; his scroll begins 'ne soignes...'
f.141v Giant head with scroll 'corial chantez bien'
f.142 A church abutted by a giant head, a spray of flowers and a pair of lovers embracing, at the opening of the Office for the Dedication of a church
f.147v On one side a trumpeter with a banner, to the right a man
leaning out menacing a barefoot youth with a birch, 'chantes bien que
tu ne soies batus'
f.149v A dog jumps up towards a giant face 'vie....vie'? An embracing man and a woman at bustlength
f.190 Dives and Lazarus, recounted in the text below; Dives feasts
with two companions in the initial; a half-length servant looses two dogs on Lazarus, who is spotted red with leprosy and holding the clapper of the unclean; another dog licks his foot
f.213v catchword enclosed in scarf waved over the head of a figure rising from stars