MEDIEVAL IMAGES OF SAINT BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX - MA413.jpg

Category Manuscript
Origin: artist/workshop
Date 15C/1
Reference No MS Latin 4915, f 361r
Size
Provenance
Present Location Paris, Bibliotheque Nationale
Bibliography Maddalo 1994, 130-1

Illustration From photo - Library
Other illustrations

Country
Description:
Bernard? Miniature in a manuscript of 'Mare Historiarum' (The Sea of Histories) from the first half of the fifteenth century. The text in red above indicates the subjects dealt with: 'The beginning of the Premonstratensian Order, of the entry of blessed Bernard, his commission and foundation of Clairvaux, of Bishop Ivo of Chartres, and of the monk Hugh of St Victor'. The text below refers to 'the time when Bernard aged twenty-two together with more than thirty relatives left the world and put on the Cistercian habit' and a little further on it talks of the foundation of Clairvaux again. It is therefore very possible that the large standing figure in white tunic and black scapular with the hood over the head watching a number of men in the process of building a monastery (Clairvaux) represents Bernard. The fact that there are two very small figures of monks in white cowls on the extreme left and another small figure of a monk in white tunic and black scapular on the extreme right makes this the more likely. On the other hand the figure does not have any of the usual attributes associated with Bernard - halo, crozier, or book.