“Marriage of Girart de Roussillon”
Today, a lovely scene from an illuminated manuscript…
“Marriage of Girart de Roussillon” is a miniature scene from an illuminated manuscript titled, Roman de Girart de Roussillon, that was made circa 1450. It is ink and tempera paint on paper. This manuscript was commissioned by Philip the Good, the Duke of Burgundy in modern day eastern France. The artist is an unnamed Netherlandish illuminator artist who was given the title Master of Girart de Roussillon by art historians. His unique work has been traced to several surviving manuscripts dating from 1440 to 1465.
Girart de Roussillon was a Frankish Burgundian who lived from circa 810 to 877. He had prominent political roles and was active in military campaigns of the day. He served as the Count of Paris starting in 837. In 843, he married Bertha, the daughter of the County of Sens in north central France. In 855, he became the governor of Provence. In 860, as an expression of his piety, Girart founded abbeys in Pothières and Vézelay, France.
Throughout the early medieval period, monks from the abbeys founded by Girart wrote manuscripts on Girart’s life and deeds. He supported Lothair I, a Carolingian emperor and king of Italy. Charles the Bald was often his opponent. Girart was a key political player and with a strong and supportive wife, he was often an epic character written into the romances and histories of the medieval period.
This image is found in Cod. 2549, Folio 9V. In it, it shows the marriage of Girart de Roussillon with Bertha, the daughter of the Count of Sens. Girart’s coat of arms is above the couple, held aloft by two angels. The miniature takes the lower half of the page, with text residing at the top. Flowers and decorations frame the page.
“Marriage of Girart de Roussillon” is currently in the collections of Österreichische Nationalbibliothek in Vienna, Austria.
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