Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Chronique universelle
Text and foliate borders: France, probably Rouen, ca. 1460. Six large miniatures: Bruges, Belgium, ca. 1470-1480. Nine small miniatures, blue borders, widow’s knots, monograms, plaques, scrolls, and heraldic arms: France, possibly Rouen, ca. 1519.
MS M.214 I, fol. 3r

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Miniature in two registers, delineated by sea:
1) Noah: leaving Ark -- Four men and four women, all wearing headgear, exit from ark following Noah, wearing hat, pointing with right hand; at left, raven perches on small island and dove, flying above, holds branch; in background, pairs of animals, including pigs, deer, horses, and cows, graze; flock of birds in sky.
At right, man, wearing hat, standing with two other figures, oversees building of city of Athens (?) by three men outside walls working on stones with pickaxes, mallets and chisels; additional workmen, partially-built buildings, and pulleys are within walls.
2) Scene, Occupational: Building (construction of city of Argos), and Scene, Battle -- Man, wearing hat, stands on top of stones, beside compass and carpenter's square, gesturing toward man, holding hat in left hand and pickaxe in right hand, before walls of city of Argos. Within walls, two men work on towers, both holding trowels; man, carrying box on his back, climbs ladder leaning against wall, and in background, man, with staff, walks beside dog.
At right, two armies of soldiers, wearing armor, some mounted, armed with swords, bows and arrows, and spears, including bannered spears decorated with heraldry representing dragon and soldier, battle, including two mounted kings, one possibly Phoroneus, both wearing armor and crowns, fighting with lances. In foreground, four soldiers and hooded figure stand in boat. In background are tents, two mounted soldiers holding bannered lances, and sea with two ships carrying soldiers.
In right margin, man, holding sword and shield (?), sits on ground before seated unicorn. In lower margin, arms of Fran³´ois de Baraton, flanked by man, aiming bow and arrow, and at right,by man, wearing hat, astride lion, with his hands at the lion's mouth.
Margins decorated with floreate ornament; outer margins of blue, with pattern of stars and the letter S.