{"id":4846,"date":"2017-11-10T09:00:04","date_gmt":"2017-11-10T08:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.facsimilefinder.com\/articles\/?p=4846"},"modified":"2019-08-09T07:42:23","modified_gmt":"2019-08-09T06:42:23","slug":"the-library-greatest-patrons-jean-de-berry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.facsimilefinder.com\/articles\/the-library-greatest-patrons-jean-de-berry\/","title":{"rendered":"The Library of One of the Greatest Patrons of Art of All Time: Jean de Berry"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jean, Duke of Berry (1340-1416), born from Jean le Bon<\/strong> and Bonne de Luxembourg<\/strong>, had parents with very developed literary tastes. So it is no wonder that he and his brothers were raised with a love for books, and art in general. This interest resulted in all four brothers having libraries very much worth of notice. However, in artistic quality, if not in quantity, Jean de Berry’s library far surpassed those of his brothers.<\/p>\n

\"Depiction
Depiction of Jean de Berry sat at the table wearing a blue garment<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In medieval libraries<\/strong> \u2013 a bit like modern libraries \u2013 books came and went, however, more often than not they did not return<\/em>. This was not because of any criminal act, but it was the result of a princely custom of giving and receiving manuscripts so much so that there exist today a number of volumes bearing the Duke’s ex libris<\/em> that are not mentioned in any extant inventories.<\/p>\n

\"Ex-libris<\/a>
Ex-libris on f. 1r from the Belles Heures of Jean de Berry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The custom did not really suit the Duke’s goal to create a unique library, so he seized any opportunity to reacquire manuscripts which he had given away as gifts. A case in point: after the assassination of his nephew, Louis d’Orl\u00e9ans<\/strong>, he reappropriated from the estate three manuscripts which he had given his nephew a few years earlier (that’s how much he loved books!).<\/p>\n

In addition to the proactive attitude of the Duke, it did help that he received many manuscripts as gifts both from Charles VI<\/strong>, Duke of Burgundy, and the members of his family, all aware of the value he placed on his library.<\/p>\n

An eclectic collector, Jean de Berry had interests which extended beyond the artistic and literary production of his contemporaries to earlier works of the 14th century resulting in a varied collection which included masterpieces like the Book of Hours of Jeanne d’Evreux<\/a><\/strong>, a manuscript dated from before 1328 and now safely treasured at the Morgan Library<\/strong> in New York. It is one of the smallest extant medieval codices, measuring only 9 x 6 cm!<\/p>\n