Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Fiore di vertu
Central or Southeastern France, ca. 1460
MS M.771 fol. 1r

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Personification of Wisdom, woman holding scroll inscribed SAPIENCE is seated atop column on which are half figures of six women, one crowned, each holding scroll with inscription: UERTU EXCELLENT PRUDENCE; DES [...] FEINE AMOUR; GLORIE PERDURABLE; SEIGNEURIE DE RAISON ATREMPRANCE; PAIX HEUREUSE; MAITRESSE DES UERTUS PIESTIDE (?). At the bottom of the column is tri-partite globe. The column is flanked by half figures of men and women, some wearing hat, two wearing hoods with pointed ears and one hood decorated with head and neck of bird. Each holds scroll (some illegible) inscribed with virtue or vice, including: left of the column, PROUIDENCE; CONSEIL; DISCRESION; LE [...] EN ADUERSITE; LE PITEUX EN HAULTESS; CONGNOISSANCE; IOYE; [...] EN PROSPERITE; ESPERANCE; LE IOYEUX EN [...]; MEMOIRE; LE REPOS DE CORAIGE (?); CHARITE; LOY (?); LE [...] EN IEUNESSE; PUITE DENTENDMENT; BONE RENOM; DELECTATION; MISERICORDE; HAULTESS; SIMPLECIE; UERITE; IURIDICION (?); SUITE [...]; LOYAULTE; IUGEMENT; DROITURE; ABSTINENCE; and right of the column LE IOLIE CONTINUELL(?); SIMPLESSE; IGNORANCE; FOLIE DESCONTINUELLE; ESNUIE; MALUEILLANCE; FOIBLESSE; CRAINTRY (?); IRE; HAYNE; INFAMIE (?); FORTE; RAPINE; TRAISON (?).
At top of miniature, half figure of Christ, crossed nimbus, holds, with right hand, cross with titulus INRI; half figure of God, wearing triple crowned papal tiara surmounted by cross on globe, holding another globe with left hand. In front of them is book held face out by one hand; dove of Holy Ghost, nimbed, perches (?) on the book, wings raised with tip of right wing touching lips of Christ and tip of left wing touching lips of God. (Trinity: Two Persons flanking Dove) All are surrounded by six four-winged red angels, three with hands joined.
Margins decorated with border of floreate ornament including rose, and columbine, and inhabited by half figure of man, arms crossed on breast, escutcheon with illegible heraldry resting on his shoulders; hybrid man wearing hat; bird, possibly goldfinch; half figure of man wearing hat. In lower margin, escutcheon with Rochechouart heraldry (barry-nebuly of five argent and gules).