Description
Original copy on natural parchment of The Chronicles of Jérusalem abrégées, siècle XV, in Spanish “The Chronicles of Jerusalem abbreviated”, or also “The Chronicles of the Crusaders”, “Chronicles of the Crusades“, is a beautiful illuminated codex of the most exquisite flamenco art. Made by order of Philip III, Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, towards 1455 in Bruges in the workshop of David Aubert, was created in the form of a roll, and later guillotined and bound. A 5 star plus in every great Library!
Spectacular and extraordinary edition made in 2018 in natural parchment, in an edition of only 290 copies, numbered and notarially certified, verifying that in the production process has been used only and exclusively natural parchment.
First of the editions in natural parchment with accelerated aging treatment in about 100 years, in a laborious and handcrafted process, giving as a final result a spectacular work as if it were a medieval manuscript.
The text written in French, in tiny burgundy bastard, delicately ornamented with gold initials, polychrome borders, and beautiful miniatures, collects the story of the conquests of the Holy Places during the First Crusade, at the end of the 11th century, describing how the Knights conquered Jerusalem and many other lands by snatching them from the Turks. Among the historical events that it narrates highlights the history of the reign of Jerusalem until its fall and the conquest of the Holy City, as well as a brief biography, as a genealogy, of its rulers, important figures of the Court, and knights, among them the Order of the Knights of the Temple, or Templars.
The text and the illuminations are framed with delicate polychrome margins of plant motifs, such as acanthus leaves and flowers, small birds and lavish peacocks.
Its peculiar elongated format and landscape has its explanation to be chronic and genealogy. The genealogies used to be written on a scroll that could be rolled up and, in fact, when Philip the Good died (1467) in an inventory of the court of Burgundy, the seat related to this manuscript says: tournant en manière de rôle. Having been cut for its binding in the form of a codex, the text written in columns does not follow in the next column, but all this is perfectly explained in the study book, which accompanies the facsimile.
The codex remained in the Court of the Dukes of Burgundy at least until 1487, the date of its first cataloging. In 1517 it appears inventoried as the property of Emperor Charles V of Germany and I of Spain. In 1619 it is mentioned in the inventory of Matías, third son of Maximiliano II. Fortunately, on December 20, 1752, it was transferred from the Imperial Treasury of Vienna to the Library of the Court, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, where it has been preserved in perfect condition to this day.
The edition in natural parchment (not parchment paper, or pergamenata paper, but 100% natural parchment of lamb in the traditional way, without chemical treatments), is extremely complex and unique, and makes each of its copies an original copy of the manuscript of the XV century, especially when the copies of this edition have been added an accelerated aging process of about 100 years. The use as a support for the parchment, natural organic element, as well as manual processes in each copy, including the flat and raised gold, according to the illuminations and as they are in the original codex, make each of the copies unique for themselves. Exclusive facsimiles handcrafted on natural parchment, recovering the beauty and authenticity of ancient illuminated manuscripts. An excellence for the best libraries, collectors and bibliophiles, a joy for the senses that will last for centuries.
Technical characteristics:
Facsimile of the original manuscript Ms. 2533 of the National Library of Austria, dated in the year 1455 (fifteenth century).
Hand-bound facsimile in carved and aged leather on a thick board. Landscape format 55.5 x 29.5 cm. 36 pages in natural parchment, all of them of great artistic beauty. It contains 87 miniatures, some of them spectacular full-page and with gold, lots of circles with names written in ink of different colors.
Codex landscape and atypical by the opening of it: horizontal, from bottom to top, not from right to left.
The facsimile is presented in a beautiful closed case for its best conservation, format 59 x 31.5 x 6 cm.
Accompanied by book study bound in illustrated hardcover, format 25 x 33 cm, 294 pages. Texts in Spanish and English.
Complete copy and in perfect condition, new, unused (it is not a second-hand copy), fifth work on natural parchment from the Scriptorium publishing house.
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