An Armorial of the Order of the Golden Fleece from 1531, SOLD: illuminated on Parchment in imperial Splendour, possibly for Emperor Charles V himself?

Armorial with explanatory notes on the history of the Order of the Golden Fleece and its sovereigns up to Emperor Charles V.
Illuminated manuscript with 5 full-page miniatures with portraits, 5 full-page with motto, coat of arms and crest and 184 lavishly illuminated coats of arms of Knights of the Golden Fleece.
Flanders, 1531 or shortly after.
Folio (295 x 205 mm). Brown leather binding of the mid 16th century.

The Armorial of the Order of Knights of the Golden Fleece, illuminated in imperial splendour on parchment in mint condition and complete in a 16th century binding, was created on the occasion of the chapter held in Tournai in 1531, possibly for Andrea Doria, Prince of Melfi, who was admitted to the Order at that time, or for Emperor Charles V himself. It contains 189 coats of arms (five full-page) and five full-page portraits of the Order’s sovereigns, from Philip the Good to Charles V, all of them illuminated in the most overwhelming manner. The stylistic freedom and the artistic level of the manuscript, which oscillates between late Gothic and Renaissance, indicate that it was created in the immediate vicinity of Charles V, be it in Flanders (workshop of Simon Bening?) or even in Northern Italy, and at the same time testifies to the Order’s internationality.

Armorial of the Order of the Golden Fleece from 1531, possibly for Emperor Charles V

Our copy seems to be the last comparable manuscript of an armorial in private hands. According to our research, there are only five other comparable manuscripts of this type:

  • British Library, Harley Ms. 6199
  • Waddesdon Manor Ms. 17
  • Brussels, Bibliothèque Royale Ms. FS IX 93 LP
  • Madrid, Archivio del Instituto Valencia de Don Juan, Ms. 26 I. 27
  • Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Cod. 2606

This manuscript has been described in great detail in our catalogue 90 “Wunderkammer”, no. 3. You can view the digital version here or order your printed copy in our Online Shop.

 

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ManuscriptsHeribert Tenschert16th century, Manuscript, Illumination, Illuminated manuscript, Vellum, Armorial, Charles V., Emperor Maximilian, Coat of Arms