Roman de la Rose

Accession number: 
MS M.245
Title: 
Roman de la Rose
Created: 
France, possibly Paris, ca. 1405.
Binding: 
Previously (in 1720) in a binding impressed with the arms of Charles IX of France; rebound for Griswold in full rose levant morocco in gold to a Grolieresque design, full gilt edges, doublures and flyleaves of vellum, by F. Bedford of London for Theodore Irwin, in brown morocco solander case.
Credit: 
Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913) in 1900.
Description: 
157 leaves (2 columns, 34-38 lines), bound : vellum, ill. ; 285 x 210 mm
Provenance: 
Given (Apr. 7, 1571) by the poet Jean-Antoine de Baïf to King Charles IX of France; Philippe Desportes (1546-1606); examined in 1720 by Jean Boivin (d. 1726), librarian in charge of manuscripts at the Bibliothèque du Roi; P. Girardot de Préfond; his sale (Paris, 1757, no. 706); Francis William Caulfeild, Earl of Charlemont (1775-1863); his sale (London, July 10, 1865, no. 2066 = Aug. 11, 1865 no. 229) to Pickering whose signature is in the lower margin of fol. 1; W. Morris sale (Paris, June 17, 1876, no. 171) to Bossange (this sale cannot be verified); Almon W. Griswold sale (New York, Jan. 9, 1878, no. 386); Theodore Irwin (catalogue 1887, p.390, no. 2426); purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913) with the Irwin Collection in 1900; J.P. Morgan (1867-1943).
Notes: 

Written and illuminated in France, possibly Paris, ca. 1405.
Texts: Roman de la Rose, begun by Guillaume de Lorris (fols. 1-77v) and finished by Jean de Meun (fols 77v-156v).
Decoration: 35 miniatures, 1 historiated initial.
There is a dedicatory poem to Charles IX by Jean Antoine de Baif on the vellum verso of the title page.
Revised: 2015

Script: 
bastarda
Language: 
French
Century: 
Classification: