Grandes Chroniques de France (BL Royal MS 16 G VI)

Priam sends Paris, the rape of Helen, the siege of Troy, f. 4v.

Colloquial name(s): Les Grandes Chroniques de France

Official name(s): British Library, Royal MS 16 G VI

Date: 1332-50 (source)

Origin: Paris, France (source)

Online facsimile available via: British Library Digitised Manuscripts

This copy of Les Grandes Chroniques de France was probably made for John the Good (b. 1319, d. 1364), duke of Normandy (1332-50) and king of France as John II (1350-54) before his accession to the throne as his arms as duke of Normandy are on f. 3r and an inscription on f. 445v is visible under UV light which reads 'Jehan Ce rommant est monss. le Duc' (source). However, it is not listed in any surviving inventories of the Louvre or in descriptions of John the Good's possessions at his capture at Poitiers in 1356 (source).

The manuscript is illustrated with 418 one- or two-column miniatures in colours-and-gold (source). Hedeman believes it to have been illuminated by at least six distinct artistic styles between c. 1335-40: the first identified with Mahiet (or the Master of the Vie de Saint Louis, who is named after BNF Fr. 5716); the second identified with the Master of the Cambrai Missal (named after Cambrai, Bibliothèque municipale, ms. 157); and four further artists who have not been identified (source).

Basic descriptions of the illustrations are provided by the British Library with the facsimile.