Medieval Bestiary : Manuscripts : British Library Additional MS 42130

Home Page
Manuscript index
Beasts Encyclopedia Bibliography Digital Text Library
Contents Search Help
Manuscript
Manuscript
Beasts
Bibliography
Gallery
Prior Page Next Page

British Library, Additional MS 42130
The Lutterell Psalter

Codicology

Produced: England (Lincoln), c. 1325-40
Current Location: British Library, London, England, United Kingdom
Manuscript Type: Psalter
Language: Latin
Folios: 309
Illustrated: Yes
Binding: 17th century
Media: Parchment
Dimensions: Height: 35 cm Width: 24.5 cm
Sample page - British Library Additional MS 42130 (Luttrell Psalter)

Description

A Psalter with some bestiary and other animal scenes in marginal illustrations, as well as numerous animal illustrations as line fillers. There are also many hybrid creatures and grotesques, and a series of farming scenes (folio 169v-173v). There are hundreds of illustrations, some tiny, and many showing great artistic skill. They are mostly pen drawings with a color wash. There are few drawings after folio 215r, with the exception of folio 266r where the artist filled almost every available space with an explosion of animals, geometric forms, grotesques and decorative foliage.


[From Backhouse, 1997 page 113]

...this Psalter was made for Sir Geoffrey Luttrell of Irnham in Lincolnshire (died 1345). Its illumination, though less polished than that of some of the slightly earlier manuscripts the period, is of unsurpassed vitality and marks the last stage of the East Anglian style. No directly comparable work is known.

The subjects of the marginal paintings on ff. 13-108, 145-214 (gatherings ii-ix, xiii-xviii) may be classified as follows:

(b) Animals and mythological beings, including:

  • Unicorn, f. 15
  • Fox with goose, f. 31
  • Hawk, hooded and belied, f. 33v
  • Dragon-fly, f. 36v.
  • Robin, parrot, crow(?) and jay, f. 51
  • Bell-wether, f. 59
  • Kingfisher, f. 61
  • Woodwose, f. 70
  • Mermaid, f. 70v
  • Goldfinch, f. 73
  • Goat, f. 76
  • Tiger with mirror, f. 84v
  • Pheasant, f. 84v
  • Snail, f. 159
  • Bull, f. 159v
  • Snail, f. 160
  • Griffin, f. 160v
  • Bat, f. 164
  • Centaur with bow and arrow, f. 164
  • Ram with four homs, f. 169
  • Reptiles on a mound, f. 185
  • Centaur, armed as a knight, attacking a boar, f. 187
  • Monkey with cloak, seated, f. 189v
  • Cat and mouse, f. 190, f. 204

Additional Descriptions

Additional description Some BL content not available - click for info

Editions and Facsimiles

Printed facsimiles

The Folio Society, 2006

Digital facsimiles

British Library Some BL content not available - click for info

Home Page

About this Site

Contents/Site Map

Contact the Editor

Help Using this Site

Last update
November 25, 2022

AltStyle によって変換されたページ (->オリジナル) /