MEDIEVAL IMAGES OF SAINT BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX - MA088.jpg

Category Manuscript
Origin: artist/workshop Paris
Date 15C/4
Reference No MS Francais 245, f 55r
Size
Provenance
Present Location Paris, Bibliotheque Nationale
Bibliography VP1:4:19 (PL185:237-8); LA 211; Dijon 1953, 51-2

Illustration From Paris 1990, 51
Other illustrations Martin 1925, 9

Genaille 1952, ill 4; Berlioz 1990, 9
Country France
Description:
Miniature at the beginning of the section on Bernard in a late fifteenth-century manuscript of the 'Legenda Aurea' in French translated by Jean de Vignay, immediately above the golden initial B(ernard) with red and blue squared background which opens the text on Bernard. In a scene which appears to take place in a chapter house, the young Bernard kneels before his abbot, Stephen Harding, who places his left hand on Bernard's head and blesses him with his right hand. The scene depicts Bernard's entry to Citeaux and is witnessed by his parents, identified by their names written on their backs, and his five brothers, the tiny figures on the left. The abbot is accompanied by two monks sitting on either side of him. Below the image is the decorated initial B(ernard est dit de ber cestadine) - the beginning of the Prologue which deals with his name, and lower on the same folio another decorated initial has B(ernard fut ne en bourgogne) - the beginning of the chapter itself. Most unusually, Stephen Harding is nimbed while Bernard is not. In scenes where they are shown together they are either both nimbed (as in GL10) or sometimes only Bernard is nimbed (as in MA89 and GL60). The scene may be likened to that in the Retable of Le Cellier (see PA87).