A remarkable prayer roll attributed to the Master of Sir John Fastolf (Rouen, c .1440, Museum Catharijneconvent Utrecht, MS ABM h4a)

Abstract

A small roll in the library of Museum Catharijneconvent (Utrecht, the Netherlands) was identified by Peter Gumbert as having been written by an English copyist. In addition to a number of prayers in Latin mixed with contemplations in French, the roll contains decoration attributed to an artist who has been named the Master of Sir John Fastolf after is most important commission in the manuscript of the Epitre d'Othea by Christine de Pisan made for the English nobleman Sir john Fastolf in 1450 (Bodleian Library, MS Laud Misc. 570). The master can be localized by his work in Paris, Rouen (c. 1420-40) and England (1450). The roll in Museum Catharijneconvent was made for a certain Henricus, who is called famulus of Christ. He is depicted in the initial Q below the Crucifixion miniature. What might have been his device, a ragged staff, is depicted as a symbol on the cover on the prie-dieu, and in line fillers throughout the text. Text and miniatures are closely related in content. The paper summarizes our knowledge of the oeuvre of the Master, but, at the same time, calls for new research.