artnet.com: Resource Library: Queen Mary Psalter

Services | The Grove Dictionary of Art


	Queen Mary Psalter. Early 14th-century English manuscript, named after its owner in the 16th century, Queen Mary Tudor (reg 1553–8). The artist of the manuscript (277175 mm; London, BL, Royal MS. 2. B. VII) is the main figure in the most active illuminators’ workshop operating in England c. 1310–35. It is the most elaborate product of this workshop, with 223 illustrations of the Old Testament preceding the Psalter text and other figural illustrations on almost every page within the Psalter itself (see fig.), placed at the liturgical divisions and as bas-de-page* scenes; the Litany and Canticles are also illustrated. The subjects include an extensive Life of Christ cycle, Lives of the Saints, bestiary creatures, secular and grotesque scenes. This illustrative programme is executed partly in tinted drawing and partly in full colour with gold grounds. The extensive Old Testament illustrations are all tinted drawings in a style of exquisite delicacy and refinement. Sweet faces with gentle expressions, swaying poses and elegant gestures characterize the figure style, which is much closer to French work than to most English painting of the period and resembles that of Jean Pucelle and his workshop in Paris, with which it is exactly contemporary. Similarly, the delicate foliage and restrained border decoration are closer to such French work than to the heavier borders of many English manuscripts (see GOTHIC, §IV, 5(vi)). There is no record of the ownership of the book in the 14th century; neither the calendar nor any heraldic decoration provide any clue about the intended owner of this extraordinarily richly decorated book. Similarly, there is no indication of its date, but comparison with other manuscripts by the workshop makes its production in the decade 1310–20 seem likely.
	There are more than 45,000 articles in The Grove Dictionary of Art. To access the rest of this article, including the bibliography, subscribe to www.groveart.com. To find out more about this subject, click on a related article below and subscribe to www.groveart.com
	Psalters Bas-de-page Bible, §I: Christian Breviary Manuscript, §II, 1(iii): Production and trade: Gothic Manuscript, §III, 2(ii)(a): Types of illustrated text: Liturgical and devotional Psalter Service book historical and regional traditions Anglo-Saxon Viking art, §II, 1(vii): Decorative arts: Ringerike style Bulgaria Early Christian and Byzantine art, §V, 2(iv)(f): Greek religious manuscripts: Psalters Byzantine Christianity, §III, 2(i)(b): Iconography: Eastern Church: Byzantine Early Christian and Byzantine art, §V, 2(i): Greek religious manuscripts: Introduction Early Christian and Byzantine art, §V, 2(iii)(c):Greek religious manuscripts: Acts and Epistles Early Christian and Byzantine art, §V, 3(ii): Syriac manuscripts, 11th–13th century Carolingian Carolingian art, §IV, 3(i): Manuscript painting: Introduction Carolingian art, §IV, 3(ii): Manuscript painting, before c AD 850 England Romanesque, §IV, 2(iii)(a): Manuscript painting: Religious texts Gothic Gothic, §IV, 2(i): Manuscript painting Gothic, §IV, 4(ii): Painting techniques: Colour Romanesque Romanesque, §IV, 2(iv): Manuscript painting: Text and image Scotland Scotland, §III, 1: Painting and graphic arts, before 1700 individual manuscripts Achadaeus Psalter (Cambridge, Corpus Christi Coll., MS. 271) Carolingian art, §IV, 3(iii): Manuscript painting, after c AD 850 Alphonso Psalter (London, BL, MS. Add. 24686) Bohun Gothic, §IV, 5(ii): Painting: Parisian and related styles, c 1240–c 1320 Heraldry, §II, 4(vii)(a): Western heraldry in art: Manuscripts Athelstan Psalter (London, BL, Cotton MS. Galba A. XVIII; Oxford, Bodleian Lib., MS. Rawlinson B. 484) Anglo-Saxon art, §IV, 1: Wall painting Anglo-Saxon art, §IV, 2(i)(a): Religious manuscripts: The reign of Athelstan, 924/5–39 Wessex: (2) Athelstan, King of Bedford Psalter (London, BL, Add. MS. 42131) Lancaster: (1) John, Duke of Bedford Scheerre, Herman Besançon Psalter (Besançon, Bib. Mun., MS. 54) Gothic, §IV, 5(iii): Painting: Holy Roman Empire, c 1230–1290 Boswell Psalter see Kinloss Psalter Bosworth Psalter (London, BL, Add. MS. 37517) Anglo-Saxon art, §IV, 2(i)(b): Religious manuscripts: Monastic reform, c 940–c 1000 Canterbury, §II: Centre of manuscript production Bury St Edmunds Psalter (Rome, Vatican, Bib. Apostolica, MS. Reg. lat. 12) Anglo-Saxon art, §IV, 2(i)(d): Religious manuscripts: Other 11th-century centres of production Cathach of St Columba (Dublin, Royal Irish Acad., s. n.) Initial, manuscript Insular art, §3: Manuscript illumination Insular art, §4: Sculpture Iona Ireland, §III, 1: Painting and graphic arts, before 1600 Stylus Chludov Psalter (Moscow, Hist. Mus., MS. D.29) Chludov Psalter Early Christian and Byzantine art, §I, 1(i)(a): History: Early Christian, c 250–c 843 Copenhagen Psalter (Copenhagen, Kon. Bib. MS. Thott, 143.2) Romanesque, §IV, 2(vi)(d): Manuscript painting: England Corbie Psalter (Amiens, Bib. Mun., MS. 18) France, §III, 1(i): Painting and graphic arts: Merovingian and Carolingian Dagulf Psalter (Vienna, Österreich. NBib., Cad. 1861) Carolingian art, §VI, 1: Ivories, before AD 843 Eadui Psalter (London, BL, Arundel MS. 155) Benedictine Order, §2: Iconography and patronage Eadwine Psalter (Cambridge, Trinity Coll., MS. R.17.1) Canterbury, §III, 2: Cathedral sculpture England, §III, 1(ii): Painting and graphic arts, c 1066–c 1450 Monastery, §I, 1(v): Variants within the standard Benedictine plan Romanesque, §IV, 2(vi)(d): Manuscript painting: England Felbrigge Psalter Bookbinding, §II, 1(i): Cover decoration, before c 1400 Fitzwarin Psalter (Paris, Bib. N., MS. lat. 765) Gothic, §IV, 5(ix): Painting: England, c 1350–c 1410 Luttrell Psalter Folchart Psalter (St Gall, Stift.-Bib., 23) Ottonian art, §IV, 2(ii)(a): Manuscript painting, before c 1025 Gewijde van Dampierre Psalter (Brussels, Bib. Royale Albert 1er, MS 10607) Belgium, §III, 1(ii): Manuscript illumination, before 1400 Gorleston Psalter (London, BL, Add. MS. 49622) Border, manuscript Gothic, §IV, 5(vi)(a): Painting: England, c 1300–c 1350 Perrins, Charles William Dyson Harley Psalter (London, BL, Harley MS. 603) Anglo-Saxon art, §IV, 2(i)(c): Religious manuscripts: Canterbury in the early 11th century England, §III, 1(i): Painting, before c 1066 Manuscript, §II, 1(i): Production and trade: Early medieval Huntingfield Psalter (New York, Pierpont Morgan Lib., MS. M. 43) Gothic, §IV, 5(i): Painting: Transitional style, c 1180–1250 Ingeborg Psalter (Chantilly, Mus. Condé, MS. 1695) Calendar, §2: Manuscript illustrations France, §III, 1(iii): Painting and graphic arts: Gothic Gothic, §VIII, 2: Stained glass: France Muldenfaltenstil Orléans, House of: (10) Henri-Eugène-Philippe-Louis d’Orléans, Duc d’Aumale Romanesque, §IV, 2(vi)(g): Manuscript painting: Late Romanesque and Transitional Transitional style, §2: Figural arts Valois, House of: (2) Charles V, King of France Isabella Psalter (Cambridge, Fitzwilliam, MS.300) Capet: (2) Louis IX, King of France St Louis Psalter King's Psalter (Paris, Bib. N., MS.lat. 1152) Charles the Bald Luttrell Psalter (London, BL, Add. MS. 42130) Genre, §2: Medieval and Renaissance, to 1500 Landscape painting, §II, 2: Byzantium and the Middle Ages, c 2nd century AD–;c 15th century Naturalism, §1: General development before the 19th century Melisende Psalter (London, BL, MS. Egerton 1139) Jerusalem, Latin Kingdom of, §II, 3: Art and architecture, c 1131–89 Melisende Psalter Paris Psalter (Paris, Bib. N., MS. grec 139) Christianity, §III, 2(i)(a): Iconography: Eastern Church: Byzantine Early Christian and Byzantine art, §I, 2(ii)(b): Secular iconography Leo Bible Macedonian Dynasty: (3) Constantine VII Narrative art, §V, 1: Western world: Early Christian and Byzantine Paris Psalter Peterborough Psalter (Brussels, Bib. Royale Albert 1er, MSS 9961-2) Typological cycles, §2: 12th century and later Psalterium Aureum (St Gall., Stift.-Bib., 22) Flags and standards, §2: Vexilloid standards Psalter of Bonmont (Besançon, Bib. Mun., MS. 54) Allegory, §III, 3: Medieval: 14th and 15th centuries Psalter of Bonne of Luxembourg (New York, Cloisters, MS. 69. 88) Jean le Noir Pucelle, Jean, §3: Workshop practices Psalter of Charles the Bald (Paris, Bib. N., MS. lat. 1152) Carolingian art, §V, 2: Metalwork, AD 843 and later Carolingian art, §VI, 2: Ivories, AD 843 and later Regalia, §4: Orbs Psalter of Duchess Mathilda (Baltimore, MD, Walters A.G., MS. W10) Romanesque, §IV, 2(vi)(e): Manuscript painting: Holy Roman Empire Psalter of Henry of Blois see Winchester Psalter Psalter of Jean, Duc de Berry (Paris, Bib. N., MS. fr. 13091) Bourges, §II, 2: Sainte-Chapelle Chair, §2(i): c AD 500–c 1450: Europe Jacquemart de Hesdin Masters, anonymous, and monogrammists, §I: Pseudo-Jacquemart Psalter of Jeanne de Laval (Poitiers, Bib. Mun., MS. 41) Masters, anonymous, and monogrammists, §I: Master of the Munich Golden Legend Psalter of Mary Tudor see Queen Mary Psalter Psalter of Robert de Lisle (London, BL, Arundel MS. 83) Gothic, §IV, 5(vi)(b): Painting: France, c 1300–c 1350 Psalter of S Egigio Boccardi, Giovanni Psalter of Yolande of Soissons (New York, Pierpont Morgan Lib., MS. M. 729) Crocket Ramsey Psalter (London, BL, Harley MS. 2904) Winchester, §II: Centre of manuscript production Ramsey Psalter (St Paul im Lavanttal, Stiftsbib., MS. 58/1) Im Lavanttal, St Paul Abbey Rhygyfarch Psalter (Dublin, Trinity Coll. Lib) Wales, §III, 1: Painting and graphic arts, before c 1775 Riccardiana Psalter (Florence, Bib. Riccardiana, MS. 323) Jerusalem, Latin Kingdom of, §II, 4: Art and architecture, 1189–1291 Ruodprecht Psalter (Cividale del Friuli, Mus. Archeol. N., Cod. 136) Egbert Ottonian art, §IV, 2(i): Manuscript painting: Introduction St Albans Psalter (Hildesheim, St Godehardkirche) Manuscript, §II, 1(ii): Production and trade: Romanesque Romanesque, §IV, 2(i): Manuscript painting: Introduction St Albans, §2: Centre of manuscript production St Bertin Psalter (Boulogne, Bib. Mun., MS. 20) Odbert of St Bertin St Louis Psalter (Paris, Bib. N., MS. lat. 10525) Gothic, §IV, 4(iii): Painting techniques: Illumination, modelling and treatment of surface St Omer Psalter (London, BL, Yates Thompson MS. 14) Thompson, Henry Yates Stockholm Psalter (Stockholm, Nmus., B. 2010) William de Brailes Stuttgart Psalter (Stuttgart, Württemberg. Landesbib., MS. bibl. fol. 23) Cross, §III, 1(i)(b): Altar and processional: Byzantine and medieval Paris, §III, 1: Art life and organization, AD 500–1499 Utrecht Psalter Tomich Psalter (Moscow, Hist. Mus., MS. 2752) Bulgaria, §III, 2(iii): Manuscript painting, AD 681–1393 Veliko Turnovo Utrecht Psalter (Utrecht, Bib. Rijksuniv., MS. 32) Calvary Cotton, Robert Bruce Drawing, §IV, 2: Medieval Ebbo Reims, §II: Art life and organization Vespasian Psalter (London, BL, Cotton MS. Vesp. A. I) Vespasian Psalter Winchester Psalter (London, BL, Cotton MS. Nero C. IV) Henry of Blois Winchester Psalter (London, BL, Cotton MS. Tib. C. VI) see Tiberius Psalter types Mainz Psalter Morgan, J. Pierpont Prints, §III, 6(ii)(a): Colour printing, 15th–18th centuries Psalmorum Codex Colophon, §3: Western printed see also BIBLES; OLD TESTAMENTS

Reproduced by kind permission of Macmillan Publishers Limited, publishers of The Grove Dictionary of Art.
� Copyright 2000 Macmillan Publishers Limited.

artnet.com | artnet.de | artnet.fr

search artists: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z