...Le Cueur d'Amours Espris, to be more precise. I happened upon this book, a small run done as a critical edition/art re-print from the Library of Vienna in 1975, while perusing my local bookstore. Besides the fact that I am a sucker for illuminated manuscripts and a lover of lover of Medieval Lit., this manuscript is a true Outsider-Artist-Book.
King Rene, King of Sicily and Duke of Anjou, was never formally trained, but he did study briefly under Jan van Eyck and had a bunch of time to 'practice' during his long imprisonment in Dijon. He made his Book of Love as a wedding present for his wife, Jeanne of Laval (freaking cute, right???), in about 1460. It is in the tradition of the Court Romance. For those of you who have read The Romance of the Rose *crickets*, then this is almost play by play. Much like Guillaume de Lorris's and Jean de Meun's allegorical romance, King Rene has a maiden imprisoned by personified vices and conflicts and the knight of love comes and rescues her. Yay!!
I just think that King Rene has surprising skill. For someone with no real training, he is remarkably good. I like this night scene especially:
He is working in egg tempera, which is a bit tricky to work with. While it is water soluble initially, you cannot rework it once dry. So he had to do it right the first time. I have been privileged to handle quite a few illuminated manuscripts and Book of Hours and I really think that his work is as good as any of his more professional contemporaries in that genera.
Kind of raises the bar in wedding gifts. That Crate and Barrel gift card is looking pretty weak right now...
Some more on Good King Rene:
Really bored? How about some Courtly Romance?
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