Attributed to an anonymous Burgundian illuminator
known as the Master of Girart de Roussillon, The Book of King Modus and Queen Ratio (after 1455) is a extense and luxury illustrated treatise on hunting. Who was King Modus? - The author patterned this work like the Greek philosophers, as a
dialogue between a student and his teacher conversing on the hunting
profession. The teacher in this case is embodied in the allegorical figure of
King Modus.
Codex is illustrated with a total of 56 lively miniatures, that deserve special mention.
Their rich golden decoration is not only intended to illustrate the
instructions of the text but also to glorify the pompous lifestyle of the
nobility. They intrigue us with a certain liveliness, the expert representation
of animals and the authenticity of the luxurious vestments. The close
association with nature was intended by the illuminators who attached great
importance to authenticity in their depictions. The book thus displays the
pinnacle of Flemish art in a work made for a prince of the high nobility."
[source :: Adeva Fine Manuscripts]
Direct link to this codex & others related::
- Les Livres du Roy Modus et de la Royne Ratio is available online via the Royal Library of Belgium, link provided. I also include the link to the
- Le Livre de Chasse de Gaston Phebusthis, probably the most famous hunting manuscript in French.
