Manuscript

Bibliothèque Nationale de France, fr. 14964
(L'Image du Monde / Bestiaire of Guillaume le Clerc)

Codicology

Produced: France, end of 13th century
Current Location: Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris, France
Manuscript Type: Miscellany
Bestiary Family: French
Language: French
Folios: 208
Author: Gossuin de Metz / Guillaume le Clerc
Illustrated: Yes
Dimensions: Height: 18 cm Width: 11.5 cm
Sample page - Bibliothéque Nationale de France fr. 14964
Folio 120r

Description

This manuscript has two parts.

Part 1: L'Image du Monde

An encyclopedia in verse, L'Image du Monde by Gautier de Metz (folio 1r-117r), with several astronomical diagrams. There are chapters on animals in the sections on the geography of the countries of the world. The animal chapters are not illustrated.

Part 2: Bestiaire of Guillaume le Clerc

The illustrated Bestiaire of Guillaume le Clerc is on folio 118r-181v. 25 colored drawings in frames. Many of the images are damaged, with the ink cracked and flaking off. This is the copy of the Bestiaire designated E by Reinsch.

The text of the Bestiaire does not seem to be complete. The siren chapter ends on 135v and the last twelve lines of the hedgehog chapter are at the top of 136r, with the rest of the hedgehog chapter missing. The coot chapter is missing entirely; it should come before the panther chapter (folio 148r). The rubric for the weasel chapter is at the bottom of folio 153v, but the rest of the chapter is missing; folio 154r starts part way through the aspchapter. Most ot the ostrich chapter is missing; the last few lines are at the top of folio 156r. The rubric for the stag chapter is at the bottom of folio 157v with the first few lines of the text missing; folio 158r starts part way through the stag chapter.

There is a lapidary (book of stones) on folio 182r-208r (not illustrated).

Additional Descriptions

Additional description

Editions and Facsimiles

Digital editions

The Image du monde Challenge

Digital facsimiles

Bibliothèque Nationale de France