Collection ID: 0023 | Metadata type: TEI | TEI XML | Data

Title

La voie de Povreté ou de Richesse (The Way of Poverty or of Wealth)

Authors

• Bruyant, Jean, active 14th century (http://viaf.org/viaf/121354359/#Bruyant,_Jean,_active_14th_century)

Other related names

• Fastolf Master, active 1420-1460, artist (http://viaf.org/viaf/46671316/#Fastolf_Master,_active_1420-1460)
• Bedford Master Workshop, artist (http://viaf.org/viaf/150001388/#Bedford_Master_Workshop)

Funders

• Council on Library and Information Resources

Call number

Widener 1
(Philadelphia, United States, Free Library of Philadelphia, Widener Collection)

Alternate identifiers

• https://know.freelibrary.org/Record/1466038
• deRicci: 1
• Leaves-of-gold: 70

Publisher

Free Library of Philadelphia

Language

Middle French (ca. 1400-1600)

Origin

Place

Paris, France

Summary

This fifteenth-century French manuscript, made in Paris, contains the text of the allegorical poem, La Voie de Povreté ou de Richesse (The Way of Poverty or of Wealth), originally written circa 1342 by the French poet Jacques Bruyant. The allegorical dream vision follows the progress of a newlywed man through his dream, accompanied by the figure of Raison, from whom he learns the virtues of undertaking hard work, while laboring as a craftsman in the Chastel de Labor. The final sixteen lines of the poem are missing from this manuscript. This copy is lavishly illuminated, featuring forty-five miniatures attributed to the Fastolf Master during his tenure in the workshop of the Bedford Master. Each of the miniatures introduces one of the poem's forty-six chapters, along with rubricated captions; the images are framed with full foliate borders, while partial foliate borders frame certain text blocks. Within the borders are marginal drawings, such as depictions of birds, the poem's "castle of labor," and the frequently-replicated Beaville family coat of arms, in addition to crests and banderoles with their motto "Nulle que vous."

Notes

• Last sixteen lines of text lacking
   
• Dated to c. 1430 by E. König (p. 193); formerly dated to c. 1430-1440 (cf. Leaves of Gold, p. 202)
   
• Descriptions of the images are partially based on Le Livre du Chastel de Labour, par Jean Bruyant: A Description of an Illuminated Manuscript of the Fifteenth Century, Belonging to George C. Thomas, Philadelphia, with a Short Account and Synopsis of the Poem (Philadelphia: 1909)
   

Extent

Iii+73+vi; 210 x 145 mm

Foliation

Modern foliation in pencil in upper right hand corners

Collation

1-8 (8), 9 (10, -10)

Support

Parchment

Catchwords

Bottom center verso, horizontal

Binding

Late 19th or early 20th century, French, red velvet cover boards with silver corner pieces, gilt edges

Layout

Written area: 113 x 72 mm;1 column of 26 lines, ruled in red ink; 46 half-page miniatures with full foliate borders of the rinceaux type, 1 historiated roundel in margin (fol. 1r) and marginal scenes in border of fol. 61v; decorated 2-line initials throughout; heraldic devices and the motto "Nulle que vous" appearing in some margins

Decoration

Forty-five large miniatures with rubricated captions; full foliate borders with marginal decoration, including the coat of arms of the Beauville family, and illuminated initials throughout

Script

Bâtarde (Hybrida)

Provenance

• Made for the Beuville family, seigneurs de la Seraulté, Normandy (15th century); "Jean Berger", (16th century?); Alisié (bookseller), Paris, 1891; Joseph Baer, Frankfurt, May 1900; George Clifford Thomas, Philadelphia; Ada E. Moorhead Thomas, Philadelphia; P. A. B. Widener, Philadelphia (through A. S. W. Rosenbach, October 19, 1910; Joseph E. Widener, 1915; given to FLP in 1944 by gift of his children, Josephine Widener Wichfeld and Peter A. B. Widener, in memory of their father; Coats of arms of Beuville family, seigneurs de la Seraulté, Normandy (de geueles semé de mouchetures d'hermine d'argent à fleur de lys brochant du même), and their motto "nulle que vous" in some borders; fol. 1r: Name "Jean Berger" inscribed in lower margin; Ex libris of Joseph Widener; "Inv. no. 1074" inscribed on detached leaf inserted at end of book
   

Related resources

• Leopold Delisle, Catalogue des manuscrits des fonds Libri et Barrois (Paris: H. Champion, 1888), p. 284.
• Le Livre du Chastel de Labour, par jean Bruyant: A Description of an Illuminated Manuscript of the Fifteenth Century, Belonging to George C. Thomas, Philadelphia, with a Short Account and Synopsis of the Poem, translation by Francois William Bourdillon (Philadelphia: 1909).
• Arthur Långfors, "Jacques Bruyant et son poème La Voie de Povreté ou de Richesse," Romania 45 (1918-1919), pp. 49-83.
• De Ricci, Seymour, with the assistance of W. J. Wilson, Census of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the United States and Canada, vol. 2 (New York,: H. W. Wilson, 1935-40), p. 2115, no. 1
• Edwin Wolf 2nd ed., Legacies of Genius: A Celebration of Philadelphia Libraries, a Selection of Books, Manuscripts, and Works of Art (Philadelphia: Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries, 1988), p. 36, no. 3.
• Wolf, Edwin, with John F. Fleming, Rosenbach: A Biography (Cleveland and New York: World Publishing, 1960), p. 67.
• Philadelphia Museum of Art, Leaves of Gold: Manuscript Illumination from Philadelphia Collections, edited by James R. Tanis (Philadelphia: Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2001), pp. 203-205, no. 70.
• König, Eberhard and Gabriele Bartz, Das Buch vom erfüllten Leben: Jacques Bruyant, Le Livre du Chastel de Labour, Widener 1, The Free Library of Philadelphia (Lucerne: Faksimile Verlag Luzern, 2005).
• Scott, Anne M., "Le Chastel de Labour, La Voie de Povreté ou de Richesse and a Luxury Book, Widener 1, Free Library of Philadelphia," in Anne M. Scott, ed., Experiences of Poverty in Late Medieval and Early Modern England and France (Farnham: Ashgate, 2012), pp. 253-277.
• Epurescu-Pascovici, Ionut, "Le Chemin de Povreté et de Richesse and the Late Medieval Social Imaginary," French Historical Studies, 36.1 (2013), pp. 19-50.
• Cropp, Glynnis M., La voie de povreté et de richesse (Cambridge: Modern Humanities Research Association, 2016).

Keywords

• 15th century
• French
• France
• Illustration
• Illumination
• Miniature
• Literature -- Poetry

Licenses

• Text

  These images and the content of Free Library of Philadelphia Widener 1: La voie de Povreté ou de Richesse (The Way of Poverty or of Wealth) are free of known copyright restrictions and in the public domain. See the Creative Commons Public Domain Mark page for usage details, http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/.

  URL

  http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

• Text

  To the extent possible under law, Free Library of Philadelphia, Special Collections has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this metadata about Free Library of Philadelphia Widener 1: La voie de Povreté ou de Richesse (The Way of Poverty or of Wealth). This work is published from: United States. For a summary of CC0, see https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/. Legal code: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode.

  URL

  https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode

Table of contents

• fol. 1r — La Voie de Povreté ou de Richesse; incipit: On dit souvent a reprochier / un proverbe que iay moult …; explicit: … Que veoiz me puisse ou demaine [fol. 73v]

Decorations

• Inside front cover — Ex Libris, Joseph Widener
• fol. 1r — Large miniature, Want, Necessity, Suffering, and Hunger visit Newlywed
• fol. 1r — Author portrait in rondel, Jacques Bruyant reading
• fol. 1r — Marginal drawing, Chastel de Labour
• fol. 1r — Illuminated initial O
• fol. 1r — Full foliate border
• fol. 2r — Small miniature, Besoing, Necessité, Souffraite, et Dissette invade the chamber of the newlyweds
• fol. 2r — Marginal drawing, Coat of Arms
• fol. 2r — Full foliate border
• fol. 3r — Large miniature, Pensée and Soussy assault the newlyweds
• fol. 3r — Marginal drawing, Coat of Arms
• fol. 3r — Full foliate border
• fol. 5r — Small miniature, Déconfort visits the newlyweds
• fol. 5r — Marginal drawing, Crest with motto, Nulle que vous
• fol. 5r — Full foliate border
• fol. 5v — Small miniature, Despair visits the newlyweds
• fol. 5v — Marginal drawing, Gold box with banderoles featuring motto, Nulle que vous
• fol. 5v — Full foliate border
• fol. 7r — Miniature, Raison enters the chamber of the newlyweds, chases away Désespérance
• fol. 7r — Marginal drawing, Chastel de Labour
• fol. 7r — Full foliate border
• fol. 8r — Large miniature, Raison admonishes and teaches the new messenger
• fol. 8r — Full foliate border
• fol. 10r — Large miniature, Raison speaks to Orgeuil
• fol. 10r — Marginal drawing, weasel carrying banderole with motto "Nulle que vous"
• fol. 10r — Full foliate border
• fol. 11r — Large miniature, Raison speaks to the new messenger of the sin of Envy
• fol. 11r — Marginal drawing, gold box with banderoles featuring motto, Nulle que vous
• fol. 11r — Full foliate border
• fol. 12r — Large miniature, Raison speaks to the messenger of the sin of Ire
• fol. 12r — Full foliate border
• fol. 14r — Large miniature, Raison speaks about the sin of Paresce and the virtue of Diligence
• fol. 14r — Marginal drawing, Chastel de Labour
• fol. 14r — Full foliate border
• fol. 15v — Large miniature, Raison declares the sin of covetousnenss and usury
• fol. 15v — Marginal drawing, banderole with motto "Nulle que vous"
• fol. 15v — Full foliate border
• fol. 17r — Large miniature, Raison declares the sin of glutony and its contrary virtues, such as abstinence and sobriété
• fol. 17r — Marginal drawing, two banderoles with motto "Nulle que vous"
• fol. 17r — Full foliate border
• fol. 18v — Large miniature, Raison speaks of the sin of luxuriance and of the virtue of chastity
• fol. 18v — Full foliate border
• fol. 21r — Large miniature, Raison councils the newlyweds that they should only lie together for the sake of procreation
• fol. 21r — Marginal drawing, bird
• fol. 21r — Full foliate border
• fol. 22r — Large miniature, Raison offers weights and a scale to the newlywed
• fol. 22r — Marginal drawing, Coat of Arms
• fol. 22r — Full foliate border
• fol. 23v — Large miniature, Raison escorts the newlywed to the Chastel de Richesse
• fol. 23v — Marginal drawing, gold box with banderoles featuring motto "Nulle que vous"
• fol. 23v — Full foliate border
• fol. 26r — Large miniature, Raison with the newlywed and the Three Fates, each hold banderoles feaurting their names
• fol. 26r — Marginal drawing, crest with gold box featuring banderoles with motto "Nulle que vous"
• fol. 26r — Full foliate border
• fol. 28r — Large miniature, Raison shows Newlywed the path to the House of Poverty
• fol. 28r — Marginal drawing, bird
• fol. 28r — Full foliate border
• fol. 29r — Large miniature, Raison shows the newlywed the two diverging paths of Convoitise and Souffisance
• fol. 29r — Marginal drawing, Chastel de Labour
• fol. 29r — Full foliate border
• fol. 32r — Large miniature, Raison recommends the path of Souffisance to the newlywed
• fol. 32r — Full foliate border
• fol. 33v — Large miniature, Raison enjoins the newlywed to serve his master faithfully
• fol. 33v — Marginal drawing, bird with banderoles featuring motto "Nulle que vous"
• fol. 33v — Full foliate border
• fol. 34v — Large miniature, Raison and the newlywed standing with a servent dressed in black
• fol. 34v — Full foliate border
• fol. 36r — Large miniature, Raison leaves and Entendement visits the newlywed
• fol. 36r — Marginal drawing, flower pot
• fol. 36r — Full foliate border
• fol. 37r — Large miniature, The newlywed with the Clerk, the Advocate, and the Varlet in the bedroom
• fol. 37r — Marginal drawing, Coat of Arms
• fol. 37r — Full foliate border
• fol. 38r — Large miniature, The newlywed with the Clerk, the Advocate, and the Varlet in the garden
• fol. 38r — Marginal drawing, banderole with motto "Nulle que vous"
• fol. 38r — Full foliate border
• fol. 39v — Large miniature, The newlywed with the Clerk, the Advocate, and the Varlet in the garden
• fol. 39v — Full foliate border
• fol. 41v — Large miniature, The Clerk, the Advocate, and the Varlet leave the newlywed alone in the garden
• fol. 41v — Marginal drawing, crest with gold box featuring banderoles with motto "Nulle que vous"
• fol. 41v — Full foliate border
• fol. 43v — Large miniature, Entendement scolds the newlywed in the garden, cherub with banderole labled "Intelligencia" above Entendement's head
• fol. 43v — Full foliate border
• fol. 45r — Large miniature, Entendement teaches the newlywed to believe in and obey the commandments of Raison, cherub with banderole labeled "Intelligencia" above his head
• fol. 45r — Marginal drawing, Chastel de Labour
• fol. 45r — Full foliate border
• fol. 47r — Large miniature, newlywed pledging his fealty to Raison
• fol. 47r — Marginal drawing, Coat of Arms
• fol. 47r — Full foliate border
• fol. 49r — Large miniature, The newlywed is shown the rewards of reason and the punishments of fraud
• fol. 49r — Marginal drawing, bird with banderole featuring motto "Nulle que vous"
• fol. 49r — Full foliate border
• fol. 53v — Large miniature, Raison bends to kiss the newlywed outside in the garden
• fol. 53v — Marginal drawing, bird with banderole featuring motto "Nulle que vous"
• fol. 53v — Full foliate border
• fol. 54v — Large miniature, A man, Bon Cuer, and woman, Bonne Voulente, lead the child, Talent, to the newlywed whose wife is sleeping
• fol. 54v — Marginal drawing, two banderoles with motto "Nulle que vous"
• fol. 54v — Full foliate border
• fol. 55v — Large miniature, Talent, Bonne Voulente, and Bon Cuer sit beside the newlywed and his wife in bed
• fol. 55v — Marginal drawing, gold box with banderoles featuring motto "Nulle que vous"
• fol. 55v — Full foliate border
• fol. 57v — Large miniature, Talent, Bonne Voulente, and Bon Cuer lead the newlywed to the Richesse's castle
• fol. 57v — Marginal drawing, bird
• fol. 57v — Full foliate border
• fol. 58v — Large miniature, The newlywed at the gate of the castle with Talent, Bon Cuer, Bonne Voulente, and the porter, Soing
• fol. 58v — Marginal drawing, gold box with banderoles featuring motto "Nulle que vous"
• fol. 58v — Full foliate border
• fol. 60r — Large miniature, The newlywed at the gate of the castle with Talent, Bon Cuer, Bonne Voulente, and the porter, Soing, who takes the hands of the newlywed
• fol. 60r — Marginal drawing, crest with gold box with banderoles featuring motto "Nulle que vous"
• fol. 60r — Full foliate border
• fol. 61v — Large miniature, The newlywed takes his place as a worker in the castle with other workers
• fol. 61v — Marginal drawing, figures performing the primary labors of the four seasons: sowing, reaping, woodcutting, and grape gathering.
• fol. 61v — Marginal drawing, Chastel de Labor
• fol. 61v — Full foliate border
• fol. 63v — Large miniature, Paine, Soing and Cure look on while the newlywed labors as a blacksmith in the castle
• fol. 63v — Marginal drawing, Chastel de Labour
• fol. 63v — Full foliate border
• fol. 64v — Large miniature, Paine encourages the newlywed as he works
• fol. 64v — Marginal drawing, Coat of Arms
• fol. 64v — Full foliate border
• fol. 66r — Large miniature, Laborers working and eating in the fields of the Chastel de Labor
• fol. 66r — Marginal drawing, Chastel de Labour
• fol. 66r — Full foliate border
• fol. 67r — Large miniature, The newlywed sits at a table with Bon Cuer, Bonne Voulente, and Talent standing behind him, while Travail walks in to the room
• fol. 67r — Marginal drawing, Chastel de Labour
• fol. 67r — Full foliate border
• fol. 68v — Large miniature, The newlywed exits the castle as Cure and Soing bid him farewell; Cure holds a banderole with the words ".O. r[e]viens matin"
• fol. 68v — Marginal drawing, gold box with banderoles featuring motto "Nulle que vous"
• fol. 68v — Full foliate border
• fol. 70v — Large miniature, The newlywed tells his wife of his dream as she sets the table for supper in their home
• fol. 70v — Marginal drawing, bird
• fol. 70v — Full foliate border
• fol. 72v — Large miniature, The newlywed, holding a tinder box, in the bedroom with his wife who responds to his narrative
• fol. 72v — Marginal drawing, gold box with banderoles featuring motto "Nulle que vous"
• fol. 72v — Full foliate border