Confrontations, échanges et interprétations entre texte et images dans les manuscrits français de la fin du Moyen Âge (milieu xiiie s. - milieu xv

Abstract

This paper reports on the text-pictures relationship in French manuscripts from the middle of the 13th century to the middle of the 15th century, considering the organization of the manuscript, its page layout, and its receipt by the reader. It first studies the various presentations of the frontispiece forms (first narrative elements, dedication scene), and the links they can have with current reality (historical, political or literary contexts). It then considers the respective functions of the picture and of the text(s) (explanatory booklet for the miniaturist or for the commenting reader) in didactic works with a religious vocation, then the interference between image captions and chapter titles in some works in verse. Finally, it investigates the comparison between original and copy manuscripts, and through it the role of the originator of the manuscript; then the case of twin manuscripts for various purposes, that of notable interpretations of important iconographic programs; last, it recalls the importance of the place of production in such a study.