Chansonnier de Jean de Montchenu
(Book of heart or Chansonnier cordiforme).

Guillaume DUFAY (Author)

Johannes OCKEGHEM (Author)

And others... (Author)

Origin: France, XVth c.
Bibliothèque nationale de France.

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Comments:

Ms. Rothschild 2973.
Facsimile. Illuminated manuscripts.

978-84-87988-94-3.
14 x 21,5 cm.
73+2 crd.
146+4 crd.
French, Italian, Spanish.
Ca. 1460.
31/12/2007.
1380+100+70+30.
Heart shaped. Bound in red velvet on wooden board.
Music.
Facsimile volume; hand made presentation case bound in gilt tooled leather; commentary volume (Spanish, English or German) by David Fallows; methacrylate exhibitor; cd-audio with selection of songs of the book.
Special Mentions: Trésors de la Bibliotheque nationale de France, I: Mémoires et merveilles. Paris: BNF, 1996, p.28-29, fig. 8.
Exhibits: L'Aventure des écritures: matières et formes. Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France, 1998, nº 60b.
Specially made paper with the same characteristics as the original parchment. Limited edition, numbered by notary and signed by the printer-publisher.

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Chansonnier de Jean de Montchenu. Commentary.

David FALLOWS (Author and translator)

Jean PORCHER (Author)

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Studies. Illuminated manuscripts.

978-84-87988-95-0.
22,7 x 32,7 cm.
168.
English.
2008.
Gold engraved cloth.
Music.

Chansonnier de Jean de Montchenu. Kommentar.

David FALLOWS (Author and translator)

Jean PORCHER (Author)

Susan M. WEINERT (Translator)

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Studies. Illuminated manuscripts.

978-84-87988-99-8
22,7 x 32,7 cm.
176.
German.
2010.
Gold engraved cloth.
Music.

Chansonnier de Jean de Montchenu. Comentarios.

David FALLOWS (Author and translator)

Jean PORCHER (Author)

Jesús TRONCH (Translator)

Evelio MIÑANO MARTíNEZ (Translator)

Sabina MORELLO PAVAN (Translator)

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Studies. Illuminated manuscripts.

978-84-87988-96-7.
22,7 x 32,7 cm.
168.
Spanish.
2010.
Gold engraved cloth.
Music.

Synopsis:

Jean de Montchenu, a nobleman, apostolic prothonotary, Bishop of Agen (1477) and later of Viviers (1478-1497), commissioned this codex of medieval Italian and French love songs, living up to his reputation as a gallant.

The closed book is shaped like a heart which opens into a butterfly composed of the hearts of the two lovers who send love messages to one another in each one of the songs. Obviously, the heart shaped manuscript is extremely rare, but this one is even more unusual because, while there are other books that open into the shape of a heart, there are no others like this one which opens into two or which are as beautifully decorated.

The songs in French and Italian, written for different voices, are the work of some of the finest medieval composers. When the word "heart" appears in the text, it is represented by a delicate pictogram. Two full-page illustrations appear in the codex. In the first, Cupid throws arrows at a young girl while at his side Fortune spins her wheel. In the other, two lovers approach one another lovingly. Throughout the manuscript, the pentagrams, music and love poems are surrounded by borders, animals, birds, dogs, cats and all kinds of flowers and plants in abundant and delicate gold. Finally, this balanced and elegant work of art, this "Book of the heart" is bound in blood red velvet, a very befitting choice in this case.

Along with the entire collection received from his father, James de Rothschild, and to which he himself added, Henri de Rothschild donated this book to the Bibliothèque nationale de France in a memorable act which took place on 22 March 1993.

IBIC Rating:

AC History of art / art & design styles
ACN History of art & design styles: c 1400 to c 1600
ACND Renaissance art
AFC Painting & paintings
AFT Decorative arts
AGN Animals & nature in art (still life, landscapes & seascapes, etc)
AV Music
DCF Poetry by individual poets
HBJD European history
HBLC Early history: c 500 to c 1450/1500
HBLC1 Medieval history
HBLH Early modern history: c 1450/1500 to c 1700
WCS Antiques & collectables: books, manuscripts, ephemera & printed matter

1D Europe
1DDF France
1DSE Spain
1DST Italy
2ADF French
2ADS Spanish
2ADT Italian
3JB c 1500 to c 1600