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Book/Printed Material Roman de la Rose.

About this Item

Title

  • Roman de la Rose.

Summary

  • The Roman de la Rose, "wherein the whole art of love is contained," was one of the most widely read literary works of the Middle Ages. An allegorical poem composed in the French-meaning Romance-of the 13th century, it was celebrated already in the 16th century as a national classic. The first 4,058 lines of the poem were written by Guillaume de Lorris in around 1230. Jean de Meung wrote an additional 17,724 lines in around 1275. The work is at once a courtly song, a story of initiation, and a literary game employing mirages, metaphors, and other literary devices. The author, who speaks in the first person and embodies L'Amant (the Lover) in the story, travels in a dream to a beautiful orchard inhabited by Déduit (Pleasure) and his companions, Jeunesse (Youth), Richesse (Wealth), Liesse (Jubilation), and Beauté (Beauty). Courtly ideals, personified, are the real actors in the fable, which recounts the adventures of the Lover as, having fallen under the laws of Love, the all-powerful master, he must avoid the traps of Male Bouche (Foul Mouth), Dangiers (Danger), and Jalousie (Jealousy) to win his lady, The Rose. Around 300 manuscripts of the Roman de la Rose have been preserved around the world. This copy belonged to the library of Jean de Berry (1340--1416), the third son of King John II the Good, a great patron of the arts and an enlightened bibliophile. At least two hands can be distinguished in the paintings. One, more mannerist, shows figures with fine and slender forms, typical of the international Gothic style that was most prominent throughout Europe at this time and that stemmed from the Parisian court.

Names

  • Guillaume de Lorris, circa 1200-1260 Author.
  • Jean de Meung, circa 1240-1304 Author.

Created / Published

  • Paris : [publisher not identified], [1401 to 1450]

Headings

  • -  France
  • -  France--Île-de-France--Paris
  • -  1230 to 1305
  • -  Courtly love
  • -  Illuminations
  • -  Literature, Medieval
  • -  Romances

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  Original resource extent: Parchment, 160 pages ; 40 x 31.5 x 5.5 centimeters. Several painters, gold filigreed initials.
  • -  Original resource at: National Library of France.
  • -  Content in Old French (842-ca. 1400).
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Source Collection

  • Illuminated Manuscripts from Europe

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021667564

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • pdf
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

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Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Guillaume De Lorris, Circa Author, and Circa Author Jean De Meung. Roman de la Rose. [Paris: Publisher Not Identified, to 1450, 1401] Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021667564/.

APA citation style:

Guillaume De Lorris, C. A. & Jean De Meung, C. A. (1401) Roman de la Rose. [Paris: Publisher Not Identified, to 1450] [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021667564/.

MLA citation style:

Guillaume De Lorris, Circa Author, and Circa Author Jean De Meung. Roman de la Rose. [Paris: Publisher Not Identified, to 1450, 1401] Pdf. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2021667564/>.