The Romance of Alexander (MS. Bodl. 264)

Cassamus and his chess-players, f. 128v.

Colloquial name(s): The Romance of Alexander, The Roman d'Alexandre

Official name(s): Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. 264

Date: 1338-1344 (source) with two sections added c. 1400 (source)

Origin: Tournai, Flanders (source); Flanders with two sections added later in England (source)

Online facsimile available via: LUNA (high-quality, zoomable facsimiles of the majority of the illustrations) and  The Bodleian Library (much poorer quality, non-zoomable facsimile of the complete manuscript)

Bodl. 264 contains foliate borders, numerous exquisite illuminations that illustrate the legends of Alexander the Great and marginal scenes depicting everyday life. The Romance of Alexander and the everyday scenes were completed in the workshop of the Flemish illuminator Jehan de Grise between 1338 and 1344; c. 1400, Alexander and Dindimus (Alexander Fragment B) and Marco Polo's Li Livres du Gruant Caam were added in England (source). The later additions comprise ff. 209r-215v and f. 1r and ff. 218r-271v and f. 2v, respectively.

There are also gilt foliate borders throughout, populated by the most incredibly realistic collection of native birds. Bodl. 264 is my favourite manuscript. <3

Basic descriptions of the illustrations are provided by LUNA in the left-hand information bar upon clicking upon each illustration.