MS M.1044, fols. 77v–78r

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Gaston III Phœbus, Count of Foix
1331–1391

Livre de la chasse

Paris, France
ca. 1406–1407
381 x 290 mm

Bequest of Clara S. Peck, 1983

MS M. 1044
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Hunting the Roebuck
Roebucks were generally hunted by sight, making the services of the lymerer and his hound unnecessary. When a hunter spotted a roebuck he was to break a branch or mark the site in some way to let the others who had gathered for the chase know. When the hounds had been brought to the site the hunters were to incite them verbally. In this dramatic miniature, the horn has sounded and the dogs eagerly pursue the roebuck, whose antlers were rendered with too many points. Phoebus considered the hunt for the roe similar to that of the hart, but the former demanded greater perseverance because of its superior cunning and endurance. For this reason, the dogs were to be fed before the hunt and their master was to encourage them with particular affection.

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Image courtesy of Faksimile Verlag Luzern