![LEONARDO BRUNI (c.1370-1444), in the French translation of JEAN LEBÈGUE (1368-1457), Histoire de la première guerre punique, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM, [Paris, c.1450]](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2014/CKS/2014_CKS_01584_0017_000(leonardo_bruni_in_the_french_translation_of_jean_lebegue_histoire_de_l045606).jpg?w=1)
![LEONARDO BRUNI (c.1370-1444), in the French translation of JEAN LEBÈGUE (1368-1457), Histoire de la première guerre punique, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM, [Paris, c.1450]](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2014/CKS/2014_CKS_01584_0017_001(leonardo_bruni_in_the_french_translation_of_jean_lebegue_histoire_de_l045606).jpg?w=1)
![LEONARDO BRUNI (c.1370-1444), in the French translation of JEAN LEBÈGUE (1368-1457), Histoire de la première guerre punique, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM, [Paris, c.1450]](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2014/CKS/2014_CKS_01584_0017_002(leonardo_bruni_in_the_french_translation_of_jean_lebegue_histoire_de_l045606).jpg?w=1)
![LEONARDO BRUNI (c.1370-1444), in the French translation of JEAN LEBÈGUE (1368-1457), Histoire de la première guerre punique, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM, [Paris, c.1450]](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2014/CKS/2014_CKS_01584_0017_004(leonardo_bruni_in_the_french_translation_of_jean_lebegue_histoire_de_l045606).jpg?w=1)
Details
LEONARDO BRUNI (c.1370-1444), in the French translation of JEAN LEBÈGUE (1368-1457), Histoire de la première guerre punique, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM, [Paris, c.1450]
530 x 230 mm. i + 72 + i leaves. TEXT COMPLETE, THIRTY-TWO SMALL MINIATURES ABOVE LARGE INITIALS EACH WITH GOLD BAR AND BORDER (slight wear to border f.1, a few original repairs have come unstitched, possibly lacking an opening bifolium with table of contents). 16th-century panelled leather with metal attachments, the two clasps engraved with the letter 'A', 19th-century paper label with title on spine (upper joint split). Red morocco case.
MOST COPIES ARE IN PUBLIC COLLECTIONS; THIS IS A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE A FIFTEENTH-CENTURY PARISIAN HUMANIST’S UNDERSTANDING OF THE CLASSICAL WORLD, EXPRESSED BOTH VERBALLY AND VISUALLY.
PROVENANCE:
1) The text originated in Paris in 1445, where Jean Lebègue was greffier of the Chambre des comptes from 1407; the style of the illumination is Parisian. 2) A loose 19th-century note in French gives a provenance from the library of the comte d’Oultremont sold in Antwerp in 1830, actually the sale of his widow ANNE-HENRIETTE, COMTESSE D’OULTREMONT (1757-1830). 3) SAMUEL ASHTON THOMPSON-YATES: loose letter to ‘Dear Yates’, datable to 1884 or later, with related British Museum request slips.
CONTENT:
Jean Lebègue, Histoire de la première guerre punique: translator’s prologue ff.1-2v, author’s prologue ff.3-4; Book I ff.4-50v; Book II ff.51-72.
The Florentine humanist Leonardo Bruni compiled in 1419-1421 his account of the First Punic War (264-241 BC) to replace the lost second decade of Livy’s history. It was translated to supplement Pierre Bersuire’s translation of Livy of 1354-1356 by Jean Lebègue, who then revised the work for independent circulation and dedicated it to Charles VII of France (N. Pons, ‘Leonardo Bruni, Jean le Bègue et la cour, échec d’une tentative d’humanisme à l’italienne’, Humanisme et culture géographique à l’époque du Concile de Constance’, D. Marcotte ed., 2002, pp.95-125). His text circulated both in its own right and through its absorption into historical compilations.
ILLUMINATION:
Charles VII’s presentation copy has not survived and there is no definitive version of either the text or the miniatures. The Yates volume, with 32 miniatures, is a significant addition to the eighteen or nineteen surviving copies known of the independent text; fifteen were designed to have at least one miniature. The full cycle seems to have been of 30-34 miniatures, recorded for four other copies. Lebègue, compiler of a treatise on paints and inks, almost certainly planned the illustrations as he had done for a translation of Sallust (Paris 1400, 2004, pp.205-6). The miniatures reflect the physical types and landscape formats favoured by the Bedford Master and his successor the Dunois Master but are painted to a smoother, more tightly defined finish by at least two hands.
The subjects of the miniatures are: Jean Lebègue presents his translation to Charles VII of France f.1, Bruni writing f.3, citizens expelled from Messina f.4, Romans attacking Rhegium f.4v, Roman troops arrive to aid the Mamertines f.7, Romans besieging Agrigentum f.9v, the author describing Sicily to a companion f.14, the Romans building ships with beaked prows (the corvus boarding device) f.17, Carthaginian ships approaching to attack the Roman fleet in port f.18, the Roman fleet puts Hannibal to flight f.18v, the Romans’ beaked ships defeating the Carthaginians f.19v, Hamilcar attacks the Romans who have withdrawn from the main encampment f.21,crucifixion of Hannibal; the Romans withdraw from before Palermo f.21v, the Carthaginian fleet ranged to block the Romans’ passage to Africa f.23, the Romans defeat a great serpent f.25, princes leave Carthage to seek peace with the Romans f.27, the Carthaginians, helped by elephants, capture the Roman general Marcus Attilius f.29v, the Carthaginians are driven back after failing to capture the Romans’ siege engines f.38v, Appius Claudius bringing reinforcements to Sicily f.41, more Roman reinforcements arrive before Lilibyaeum f.43, Catulus defeats Hamon at sea f.48v, Carthaginian envoys ask for peace f.49v, Carthaginian envoys receive the peace terms from the Romans f.50, Carthaginians leaving for home f.51, Hamilcar entering Gesira f.53v, Spendius is made to surrender to Hamilcar f.58v, Hamilcar has Spendius and Autaricus crucified f.59v, Hannibal about to be crucified f.60, triumphal procession f.60v, the Romans at war f.61, defeat of the King of the Gauls f.69.
The miniatures are on ff.1, 3, 4, 4v, 7, 9v, 14, 17, 18, 18v, 19v, 21, 21v (2), 23, 25, 27, 29v, 38v, 41, 43, 48v, 49v, 50, 51, 53v, 58v, 59v, 60, 60v, 61, 69.
530 x 230 mm. i + 72 + i leaves. TEXT COMPLETE, THIRTY-TWO SMALL MINIATURES ABOVE LARGE INITIALS EACH WITH GOLD BAR AND BORDER (slight wear to border f.1, a few original repairs have come unstitched, possibly lacking an opening bifolium with table of contents). 16th-century panelled leather with metal attachments, the two clasps engraved with the letter 'A', 19th-century paper label with title on spine (upper joint split). Red morocco case.
MOST COPIES ARE IN PUBLIC COLLECTIONS; THIS IS A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE A FIFTEENTH-CENTURY PARISIAN HUMANIST’S UNDERSTANDING OF THE CLASSICAL WORLD, EXPRESSED BOTH VERBALLY AND VISUALLY.
PROVENANCE:
1) The text originated in Paris in 1445, where Jean Lebègue was greffier of the Chambre des comptes from 1407; the style of the illumination is Parisian. 2) A loose 19th-century note in French gives a provenance from the library of the comte d’Oultremont sold in Antwerp in 1830, actually the sale of his widow ANNE-HENRIETTE, COMTESSE D’OULTREMONT (1757-1830). 3) SAMUEL ASHTON THOMPSON-YATES: loose letter to ‘Dear Yates’, datable to 1884 or later, with related British Museum request slips.
CONTENT:
Jean Lebègue, Histoire de la première guerre punique: translator’s prologue ff.1-2v, author’s prologue ff.3-4; Book I ff.4-50v; Book II ff.51-72.
The Florentine humanist Leonardo Bruni compiled in 1419-1421 his account of the First Punic War (264-241 BC) to replace the lost second decade of Livy’s history. It was translated to supplement Pierre Bersuire’s translation of Livy of 1354-1356 by Jean Lebègue, who then revised the work for independent circulation and dedicated it to Charles VII of France (N. Pons, ‘Leonardo Bruni, Jean le Bègue et la cour, échec d’une tentative d’humanisme à l’italienne’, Humanisme et culture géographique à l’époque du Concile de Constance’, D. Marcotte ed., 2002, pp.95-125). His text circulated both in its own right and through its absorption into historical compilations.
ILLUMINATION:
Charles VII’s presentation copy has not survived and there is no definitive version of either the text or the miniatures. The Yates volume, with 32 miniatures, is a significant addition to the eighteen or nineteen surviving copies known of the independent text; fifteen were designed to have at least one miniature. The full cycle seems to have been of 30-34 miniatures, recorded for four other copies. Lebègue, compiler of a treatise on paints and inks, almost certainly planned the illustrations as he had done for a translation of Sallust (Paris 1400, 2004, pp.205-6). The miniatures reflect the physical types and landscape formats favoured by the Bedford Master and his successor the Dunois Master but are painted to a smoother, more tightly defined finish by at least two hands.
The subjects of the miniatures are: Jean Lebègue presents his translation to Charles VII of France f.1, Bruni writing f.3, citizens expelled from Messina f.4, Romans attacking Rhegium f.4v, Roman troops arrive to aid the Mamertines f.7, Romans besieging Agrigentum f.9v, the author describing Sicily to a companion f.14, the Romans building ships with beaked prows (the corvus boarding device) f.17, Carthaginian ships approaching to attack the Roman fleet in port f.18, the Roman fleet puts Hannibal to flight f.18v, the Romans’ beaked ships defeating the Carthaginians f.19v, Hamilcar attacks the Romans who have withdrawn from the main encampment f.21,crucifixion of Hannibal; the Romans withdraw from before Palermo f.21v, the Carthaginian fleet ranged to block the Romans’ passage to Africa f.23, the Romans defeat a great serpent f.25, princes leave Carthage to seek peace with the Romans f.27, the Carthaginians, helped by elephants, capture the Roman general Marcus Attilius f.29v, the Carthaginians are driven back after failing to capture the Romans’ siege engines f.38v, Appius Claudius bringing reinforcements to Sicily f.41, more Roman reinforcements arrive before Lilibyaeum f.43, Catulus defeats Hamon at sea f.48v, Carthaginian envoys ask for peace f.49v, Carthaginian envoys receive the peace terms from the Romans f.50, Carthaginians leaving for home f.51, Hamilcar entering Gesira f.53v, Spendius is made to surrender to Hamilcar f.58v, Hamilcar has Spendius and Autaricus crucified f.59v, Hannibal about to be crucified f.60, triumphal procession f.60v, the Romans at war f.61, defeat of the King of the Gauls f.69.
The miniatures are on ff.1, 3, 4, 4v, 7, 9v, 14, 17, 18, 18v, 19v, 21, 21v (2), 23, 25, 27, 29v, 38v, 41, 43, 48v, 49v, 50, 51, 53v, 58v, 59v, 60, 60v, 61, 69.
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