Towards the end of the thirteenth century there emerged in the margins of North French illuminated manuscripts a motif whose meaning and origin have not yet been fully clarified. The motif depicts a man combating a snail. Appearing a few years later also in Flemish and English marginal] illumination, the theme and variants thereof were represented with notable frequency through- out the first quarter of the fourteenth century. Its humorous and satirical implications, perfectly adapted to the predominant spirit of Gothic drôleries, do not suffice to explain its popularity, particularly since its introduction into the margins marked the beginning of an artistic tradition which persisted through- out the Middle Ages. Considered for the present study are over seventy marginal representations of the theme culled from twenty-nine manuscripts. Of these, the majority — eleven North French, seven Franco-Flemish, and four English examples — were produced between about 1290 and 1310. Of the remainder, illuminated between about 1310 and 1325, three are Flemish, three are English, and only one is North French, reflecting a waning of interest in the motif, particularly in France. The manuscripts, which include psalters, hours, breviaries, pontificals, and decretals as well as a Lancelot du Lac, a Tristram, and a Recueil de poésies morales, range in artistic quality from relatively provincial works with limited ornamentation to superb productions with elaborate marginal programs. A feature common to both groups of manuscripts, however, is a distinct preference for travesty, genre, and literary themes rather than for fantastic imagery or grotesquerie. - [Author]

Language: English

DOI: 10.2307/2852357