7/28/2019 Gathercole Illustrations of the 'Roman de Renart' Manuscripts BN Fr 1581 and BN Fr 12584 http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gathercole-illustrations-of-the-roman-de-renart-manuscripts-bn-fr 1/7 Illustrations of the "Roman de Renart": Manuscripts BN fr. 1581 and BN fr. 12584 Author(s): Patricia M. Gathercole Source: Gesta, Vol. 10, No. 1 (1971), pp. 39-44 Published by: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of the International Center of Medieval Art Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/766567 . Accessed: 25/06/2013 17:17 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. . The University of Chicago Press and International Center of Medieval Art are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Gesta. http://www.jstor.org
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7/28/2019 Gathercole Illustrations of the 'Roman de Renart' Manuscripts BN Fr 1581 and BN Fr 12584
Illustrations of the "Roman de Renart": Manuscripts BN fr. 1581 and BN fr. 12584Author(s): Patricia M. Gathercole
Source: Gesta, Vol. 10, No. 1 (1971), pp. 39-44Published by: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of the International Center of Medieval Art
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/766567 .
Accessed: 25/06/2013 17:17
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp
.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of
content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms
of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].
.
The University of Chicago Press and International Center of Medieval Art are collaborating with JSTOR to
FIGURE2. Renart and Noble Fight. Paris, Bibliotheque Nationale,
fr. 1581,fol. 47.
FIGURE3. Tibert the Cat. Paris, BibliothequeNationale, fr. 12584,
fol. 52.
ture foreshadow paintings of the Venetian Renaissance
School, as Titian's "Cupid and the Wheel of Fortune" in the
National Gallery, Washington, D. C.
The animals portrayed on the Renart manuscripts may be
attired in the long flowing robes worn by the people of the
time or remain unclothed. The mischievous Renart4 some-
times sports a voluminous cape. When fighting, he and his
retinue are often protected by the cumbersome armor of the
medieval knight: coats-of-mail, breastplates, helmets, etc.
Some animals, unclothed, merely carry imposing shields,
lances and swords. Noble the lion, as a king, is dignified by
gold crown and scepter (MS. A, f. 47). Court costumes andthe manners of the rich, however, cannot be minutely stu-
died here.
To make the animal characters appear more ridiculous,
the artists exaggerate certain features, for example, the di-
mensions of the ears or feet, lips or tongues. The animals,
grotesque in shape, may adopt human attitudes: they lie in
bed, paddle boats, ride horses, and play stringed instru-
ments. The gestures of the creatures may be taken from
their human counterparts (MS. B, f. 52). As on other manu-
scripts of these years, their movements seem stiff and thea-
trical. Sometimes, nevertheless, especially in MS. B, the ani-
mals walk in a natural fashion on all fours. The portraits
emphasize the principal traits of the animal characters:
Renart, guile, Isengrin, stupidity; Brun, brutality. Impres-sive figures such as the fox, call to mind similar types occur-
ing in Aesop's fables. Certain birds and animals betray re-
markable expression on their faces. A few human beings
grace the miniatures; they are usually peasants modestlydressed in tunics (MS. B, fol. 26v). Nuns and monks typifyor satirize the religious spirit prevalent during the period:a tonsured friar addresses Renart and Ysengrin on folio
28 of MS. B.
Castles with round crenelated turrets are found on both
manuscripts. The towers at times extend into the upper
margins. The doors look heavy with their massive hinges
(MS. A, fol. 25v). A windmill, a possible indication of Nor-
thern provenance, is visible in MS. B, fol. 65.
The miniaturists pay scant attention to landscape on the
manuscripts of the Roman de Renart. A definite use of
perspective is lacking. Two trees may symbolize a forest.
Nature assumes a rather strange aspect on MS. A, where a
tree shows a brown trunk but white leaves (fol. 34). MS. B
is more conventional in this regard: The ground is covered
withgrass
or rock formations. Thesky,
often blue on both
FIGURE. Renart Dispatches a Letter. Paris, Bibliotheque Nation-
ale, fr. 1581,fol. 34.
41
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are viewed on a wavy sea. These miniatures are indeed re-
freshingly realistic and vital when compared with the
sumptuous fantastic decorations of numerous other crea-
tions of the late fifteenth century.The paintings in the manuscripts of the Roman de Re-
nart, the celebrated animal epic,5 do not reveal the roman-
tic charm, delicate coloring, fine execution, and at times
the luxurious magnificence found on many medieval French
manuscripts. They are definitely not the work of such
skilled craftsmen as Master Honore or Jean Pucelle. The
miniatures are noteworthy for their crude realism, parody,and whimsical spirit. They recall the medieval bestiaries,
fabliaux, and farces in their sustained gaiety and amusingdeeds.6 The artists (several probably decorated a single
manuscript) have captured the verve and humorous style of
the tales themselves. The miniatures, small and abundant,
betray a wealth of action and artful tricks. The painters re-
flect the life and customs of their period, the medieval
jousts, quarrels and other incidents. Religious content, so
predominant on other manuscripts executed in the monas-
tic scriptoria, is minimized here. Architectural settings re-
main unimportant. The bourgeois atmosphere of constant
rivalry is carried over from the poems into the miniatures;
one can distinctly sense a criticism of the lofty tone of theroman courtois and the knightly element of the chansons de
geste. The animals and birds appear quite lifelike despitetheir lack of proportion in drawing. MS.B, more roughlyexecuted and a century later than A, is even more strikinglyrealistic. Considered in their entirety, the miniatures vividly
present a satire on medieval life, and indeed on human ex-
istence of all times.
Recension of Miniatures
fr. 1581
"Li Brance de Renart Ke Jakemars Giellee, de Lisle,
traita," ou Roman de Renart le nouvel, commencant par
"Ki le bien set, dire le doit S'il ne le dist, por lui le doit me-
troie envis..."
Vellum. 13th century. (Anc. 76073 0.) Miniatures on folios