National Library of Sweden, A 165
Bible, Old and New Testament
France, Paris, 14th century, middle
parchment
i, 672 leaves
370 × 250–260 mm
Latin
RB, no. 285.
Leaf after f. 4 missing.
Support
Foliation
Collation
Condition
Layout
Script
Textblock
Hand 1
Gothic textualis.Additions
Binding/Endleaves
Decorations
Textblock
Main text in dark ink; rubrics in red; capitals touched in red. The decoration is identified by Roosval (1948) and Avril (1972), p. 102 as stemming from the Parisian school of Jean Pucelle; for a detailed discussion, see their respective op. cit.
Each book of the Bible is introduced by a historiated initial over 6-9 lines with letter bodies in mauve or blue, often partially made up of grotesque heads combined with interlaced patterns, and with patterns in white and outlined in black; background in blue or mauve with geometric or foliate patterns in white and a square frame in gold paint or gold leaf outlined in black ink; counter space either in various chequered (e.g. (f. 59r)), diamond (e.g. (f. 140r)) or foliate patterns (e.g. (f. 591v)) in different combinations of blue, mauve, gold paint or gold leaf, with patterns in white, light blue, mauve, red, yellow, and sometimes gold paint, or with foliate patterns in a different shade of blue or red (e.g. (f. 171r); one instance of black patterns on brown (f. 598r)). The major initials are accompanied by border decorations in the form of stems in blue, mauve, and gold paint or gold leaf, with patterns in white and foliage in red, blue, mauve, and gold paint or gold leaf; in the first part of the manuscript, drolleries, often in the form of hunting scenes (e.g. (f. 59r)), also appear in the border decoration but disappear after (f. 200v); the border stems are also occasionally inhabited by dragons (e.g. (f. 95v), (f. 450v)). (f. 2r) exhibits more or less all the features of the decoration scheme. The opening initial ‘F’, featuring St Jerome at his writing desk, extends the entire length of the text column and the accompanying border stem fills the rest of the margin with several animals and drolleries. The prologues are intruduced by foliate initials over 4-6 lines in the same design and colour scheme as the historiated initials, but with the foliage on a background of gold leaf in the counter space; the initial for the prologue to John is more elaborate, with an eagle carrying a scroll with the name ‘Iohanes’ in his beak ((f. 528r)). The prologue initials also often extend into border stems in the margin. Chapters (or, for the Interpretationes nominum hebraicorum, new letters) are introduced by a foliate initial over 2-4 lines in blue or mauve with patterns in white on a background of gold leaf with 2 short stems (2 lines) extending upwards and downwards in the margin. Each verse of the Psalms ((ff. 270va–302ra)) and each entry of the Interpretationes nominum hebraicorum ((ff. 607r–671r)) is introduced by a plain initial over 1 line in blue with flourishing in red alternating with letter in gold leaf and flourishing in black. Many (but not all) rubrics have plain initials in blue with flourishing in red, or letter in gold leaf with flourishing in black (cf. Psalms etc.). Some rubrics have, instead, a pilcrow mark in the same colour scheme (e.g. (f. 171r)). The letters of the running titles and chapter numbers in alternate in the same colour scheme.
Binding
Late medieval or early modern binding. Brown leather over bevelled wooden boards. 10 double raised bands and endbands. 2 hooked clasps. Brass corner and centre pieces with bosses.
LCO, two rows of blind tooled frames, the outer decorated with vegetative patterns and the inner with flowers alternating with diamond-shaped medallions containing a bird with spread wings, the centre panel decorated with a pattern of small blind stamped flowers and dots filled in with gold paint (some of the paint worn off). Inside the upper part of the second frame, the title ‘BIBLIA TEXT[--- 2 chars ---] ’ in ink. RCO, three rows of blind tooled frames, the outer decorated with blind stamped foliage and diamond-shaped medallions containing a bird with spread wings, the middle panel with blid stamped dots in sets of threes filled in with gold paint (some of the paint worn off), and the inner panel with vegetative patterns; the centre panel is decorated with two sets of floral shapes made up blind stamped dots filled in with gold paint (some of the paint worn off) and a flower at the centre, also filled with gold paint. The corner and centre studs, as well as the catchplates and clasps are decorated with engraved patterns and embossments, and the edges of the studs are drilled into the shape of spades.
Origin
France, Paris, 14th century, middle. Roosval (1948) and Avril (1972) place the style of decoration as stemming from the school of Jean Pucelle, active at Paris in the early 14th century. Avril identifies the artist as active at Paris in the middle of the 14th century. Avril does not lend any credence to the addition on f. 1r, which gives the date 1062 and also states, erroneously, that the manuscript was produced at Rome (Avril (1972), p. 102, n. 3). Roosval, however, believes that ‘Mlxii’ is an abbreviation of 1362, which would fit with the dating of the decoration / identified artist (Roosval (1948), p. 75).
Provenance
The manuscript is listed as no 10 in Jaches' catalogue of 1695 (U 118:10), the date on f. 1r interpreted here as 1112, and as no 1 in Jaches's catalogue of 1698 (U 122), the date on f. 1r interpreted here as 1062. It is listed as no 1 on shelf 2, bookcase 30, in Hammarsköld's catalogue of the 19th century (U 133). According to Rosvall, the manuscript was purchased by Queen Christina in Paris in the middle of the 17th century (Roosval (1972), p. 68), but although the manuscript was part of the Royal Library in 1695, it is not listed in Vossius's catalogue of 1651 and a former librarian notes that it is not listed among Queen Christina's books.
- Roosval (1948).
- Gyllene böcker (1952), p. 55, no. 93.
- Illuminated manuscripts (1963), pp. 11–12.
- Avril (1972), p. 102.
