
Planets, Muses and The Chess of Love
BNF, Département des manuscrits, Français 143, Evrart de Conty, Le livre des échecs amoureux, text by Jacobus Magnus (1360 ?-1425 ?), Louise de Savoie, 15th century ... Et lui dist dame Pallas et moustra moult d'enseignemens beaulx et moult de belles choses prouffitables a meurs et a honneste vie et qui seroient belles a declairier, maiz pour certaine cause je m'en tairay atant quant a present. Amen.
Je lairay donc ceste matere,
Tant soit elle de grant mistere.
Je n'y p

The Flute & Drum stories of the Spiezer Chronik
Do you know the famous children's book 'Where's Wally'? If you do, you'll find this similar, but instead of finding the man with the striped shirt, you've got to find the flute and the drum. Not that difficult in this selection, though. These two musicians are everywhere: in midst of wars, burning cities, praying at church, 'dressed like' bears, rescuing captive ladies...and they are doing so always with a smile. As one leaves through the Chronic of the foundings of the Confo

Between Heaven and Hell
This time not a Book of Hours, but a book of the hours of the Antichrist. Although at the end of this illuminated manuscript there are scenes with the Virgin and Christ surrounded by angel musicians that are often to be found in the books of hours that I've showcased in previous blog posts, this book surprises us with intriguing scenes of the Last Judgement, the Antichrist and a world of horrifying, yet humorous devils. This French manuscript from the mid 15th century is now