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2.2 French medieval illuminated manuscripts: part 2

Brotherton Collection MS 18, fol. 7r
Explore digitised images of medieval manuscript illumination. Find out more about the significant provenances of the manuscripts, and how they came to the University of Leeds Library.
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[Evangelistarium]
Medieval manuscripts collected by the University Library in 1925, University of Leeds Special Collections
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Photograph of Lord Brotherton, 1926
Lord Brotherton's collecting of medieval manuscripts, held at the University fo Leeds Special Collections
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Jerome (fol. 2r)
Medieval illuminated manuscripts from the Ripon Cathedral collection, held at the University of Leeds Special Collections
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King David (fol. 21r)
French medieval illuminated manuscripts at the University of Leeds, Special Collections
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St. Luke, the Evangelist (fol. 14v)
French medieval illuminated manuscripts at the University of Leeds, Special Collections
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Corpus Christi (fol. 25r)
Southern Netherlands medieval illuminated manuscripts at the University of Leeds, Special Collections
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Coronation of the Virgin (fol. 17v)
Northern Netherlands medieval illuminated manuscripts at the University of Leeds, Special Collections
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Crucifixion of Christ (fol. 103r)
Italian medieval illuminated manuscripts at the University of Leeds, Special Collections
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Pan and other mythical creatures (fol. 97r)
German medieval illuminated manuscripts at the University of Leeds, Special Collections
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Burial service (fol. 7v)
English medieval illuminated manuscripts at the University of Leeds, Special Collections
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Seven Sorrows of the Virgin (fol. 142v)
Illuminated medieval manuscripts at the University of Leeds, Special Collections
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BC MS 1: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 1: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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BC MS 2: [Breviarium ad Usum Parisiensem]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 2: [Breviarium ad Usum Parisiensem], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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BC MS 3: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 3: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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BC MS 4: [Hours of Antoine de Crèvecœur]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 4: [Hours of Antoine de Crèvecœur], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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BC MS 5: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 5: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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BC MS 6: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 6: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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BC MS 7: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 7: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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BC MS 8: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 8: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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BC MS 9: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 9: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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BC MS 10: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 10: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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BC MS 11: [Preces]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 11: [Preces], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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BC MS 12: [Preces]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 12: [Preces], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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BC MS 14: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 14: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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BC MS 15: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 15: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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BC MS 16: [Beverley prayer book]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 16: [Beverley prayer book], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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BC MS 18: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 18: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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BC MS 22: [In epistolas canonicas]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 22: [In epistolas canonicas], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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BC MS 23: Legenda aurea sanctorum
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 23: Legenda aurea sanctorum, held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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BC MS 24: [Psalterium]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 24: [Psalterium], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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BC MS 100: [Biblical and genealogical chronicle from Adam and Eve to Louis XI of France]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 100: [Biblical and genealogical chronicle from Adam and Eve to Louis XI of France], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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MS 124: [Evangelistarium]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript MS 124: [Evangelistarium], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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MS 498: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript MS 498: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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Ripon Cathedral MS 1: [Biblia]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript Ripon Cathedral MS 1: [Biblia], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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Ripon Cathedral MS 3: [Apocalypsis et Epistolae catholicae, cum glossis]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript Ripon Cathedral MS 3: [Apocalypsis et Epistolae catholicae, cum glossis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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Ripon Cathedral MS 4: [In Apocalypsim; Threni Ieremie cum glossis]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript Ripon Cathedral MS 4: [In Apocalypsim; Threni Ieremie cum glossis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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BC MS Frag. 1: Three single leaves from medieval liturgical manuscripts
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS Frag. 1: Three single leaves from medieval liturgical manuscripts, held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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Ripon Cathedral MS 9: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis]
View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript Ripon Cathedral MS 9: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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Special Collections holds another exceptional Parisian manuscript, a combined Breviary and Hours (BC MS 2). It was probably made for one of the canons of Notre-Dame of Paris, as suggested by its textual and visual contents.

Its illumination demonstrates how the style of the Bedford Trend developed, and stayed in fashion, even after its original inventor and his important English patrons had disappeared from the capital.

A further book of hours (BC MS 8) was made around 1490 for the Bouer family of Bourges, who were active in the city administration and the Royal Mint. The miniatures can be attributed to two local illuminators who lived only a few hundred metres from the house of the Bouers: Jacquelin de Montluçon and the so-called Master of Spencer 6.

The techniques of the two artists are different. In his piece St Luke, the Evangelist (Fol.14v), Jacquelin mastered finer or more variable brushwork and mixed his colours more elaborately (see image). Documentary evidence and extant works reveal Jacquelin as a painter accustomed to working on a larger scale, on altarpieces and stained glass.

We also have a mid-15th century Parisian book of hours (BC MS 5), intended for use in England, as well as two other smaller books of hours (BC MS 3 and BC MS 6) that were illuminated by artists from the north of France and were destined for use in the Southern Netherlands (around the Maastricht area).

The merchant mark of the original owners, which includes their initials AJ and VH, is painted in the manuscript. On the same page, the male supplicant depicted facing the Virgin and Child appears to be generic rather than a specific portrayal, perhaps suggesting that the manuscript was bought ready-made.

Another outstanding French work in the collection is a nearly 18 metre long scroll that chronicles the integrated pagan and biblical history of the world, from the Creation to the reign of Louis XI of France (BC MS 100). It was made of 39 membranes of parchment and skilfully illuminated with 64 roundels, undoubtedly for a member of Louis's court.

Dr Katja Monier