Illuminated 13th Century French Manuscripts in Soviet Collection: 1270 - 1300 by I.P. MOKRETSOVA and V.L. ROMANOVA - 1984

Moscow: Art, 1984. Russian Language. This edition includes a reproduction of French illuminated manuscripts from the last decades of the XIII century. It is a continuation of the book "French miniature book in Soviet collections. 1200-1270 ". The purpose of these two publications - the publication of previously unknown to the general public and even most professional sites of book writing and painting, which was so famous France XIII century. In both papers discuss about the same number of manuscripts: the first - fourteen in the second - fifteen. In the introductory article analyzes the themes of manuscripts, manufactured in France in these different periods for the duration of the XIII century. More than half a century were decorated mostly religious liturgical books, in the second half of the century illustrated books became wider secular. This explains why in the present volume includes the monuments of different purposes: the traditional lists of the Bible, Psalms, missals (Missal), the historical chronicle, two collections of legends, tracts. French Illumination in the XIII century, especially in the north and north-east, was a unique phenomenon in respect of artistic stability: for most of the century manuscripts remained similar layout sheet is about the same system it historical decorations and ornamental initials, as well as various decorative elements. The coloring was limited to the refined combination of blue, red flowers with white lead and gold. Gold embossed title on blue cloth boards (see photo). 2 copies, one in box slip-cover, one without.

[see image scan of actual book]