LES MERVEILLES DU MONDE. (Fourteenth Century.)

From the fine MS. in the French Library. There are but two other specimens, both MSS. in the British Museum (Egerton 1070 and Harl. 4947), the last of which may have been executed by the same hand.

Les Merveilles du Monde

(Fourteenth Century)

From the fine MS. in the French Library. There are but two other specimens, both MSS., in the British Museum (Egerton, 1070, and Harl, 4947), the last of which may have been executed by the same hand. Of all the treasures of the illuminator's art, none is more worthy of careful examination than the volume in question; a present from Jean Sans Peur, Duke of Burgundy, to his uncle, the Duke of Berri; executed doubtless between 1404, the year of his accession to the title, and 1419, when he was assassinated at Montereau. It is mentioned by Silvestre as one of the finest monuments of the period;" and we may readily suppose that a book intended as a present to the Duke of Berri, at once the most distinguished connoisseur and most munificent patron of art of the age, was confided to an illuminator of the highest talent, with directions to spare no labor in its embellishment.

66

THE

UNIVERSAL ANTHOLOGY

A COLLECTION OF THE BEST LITERATURE, ANCIENT, MEDIEVAL AND MODERN,
WITH BIOGRAPHICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES

EDITED BY

RICHARD GARNETT

KEEPER OF PRINTED BOOKS AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON, 1851 TO 1899