Poésies (BNF Fr. 1584)

An angel leads a noble couple into a building, f. Dr.

Colloquial name(s): Poésies, by Guillaume de Machaut

Official name(s): Bibliothèque nationale de France, Français 1584

Date: 1372-77 (source)

Origin: Paris, France (source)

Online facsimile available via: Bibliothèque nationale de France Gallica digital library and Bibliothèque nationale de France Mandragore (write 'Guillaume de Machaut' in the 'Auteur' box, click 'Chercher' then select 'Français 1584')

The decoration of this manuscript was carried out in two steps: ff. F-564 was carried out in a shop in eastern France, probably where Reims Machaut was living near the end of this life, whilst ff. Dr and Er were illustrated in Paris by the Master of the Bible of Jean de Sy, probably very shortly after the completion of the rest of the manuscript (source).

The manuscript can be dated quite precisely as it contains the long poetic account of the exploits of the King of Cyprus, Peter I of Lusignan, which was written by Machaut in 1370 at the request of Charles V, and provides a terminus post quem for the manuscript (source). A terminus ante quem is provided by Machaut's date of death, 1377 (source).

The majority of the illustrations are executed in grisaille.

Basic descriptions of the illustrations are provided by the Bibliothèque nationale de France at their Mandragore site.