La Chronique universelle d’Orléans : un manuscrit d’histoire enluminé

Abstract

The Universal Chronicle of Orleans : an illuminated historical manuscript. During the reign of Charles VII, after the one hundred years’ War, the production of works of history witnessed a considerable revival. Between 1457 and 1520-21, some twenty Universal Chronicles on scrolls were written and illuminated. The manuscript no. 470 at the Orleans Municipal Library is representative of such historical compilations of the period. It may be dated from the third quarter of the fifteenth century and probably comes from northern France, but we know nothing about who commissioned it, who produced it or who owned it. The chronicle deals first of all with the Old Testament, Ancient History and the life of Christ and then goes on to the succession of Popes, emperors of Rome, French kings, Breton kings and kings of Great Britain. Sixty-four miniatures in the form of medallions feature in the text at its articulations, sometimes in direct illustration of the text itself, sometimes adding information which is not to be found in the text. The illuminator uses the technique of « pourtraits », which allows him to use physionomies, backgrounds and costumes which are practically identical, repeating scenes and character types with only slight variations. Several of the medallions are analysed here : a representation of the infant Jesus with a cross announcing the Redemption, the murder of the Giants by Bruit (the origin of the foundation of Great Britain), the construction of different cities... The Universal Chronicle of Orleans allows for an in-depth study of the relations between image and text. It also raises the problem of the didactic or propagandist role of such texts. The genealogies and the description of the birth of nations are by no means innocent at this time when memories of the Anglo-French conflict were still fresh. Finally, the narrative confirms an idea of history which is still medieval, that is to say the facts and personalities — even contemporary ones — are always compared with the events and figures of Bible history.