Find Love, Adventure, and Extraordinary Worlds in Tiny Manuscript Spaces
Explore a 15th-century epic through dazzling illustrations
The Author Hears the Story of Gillion de Trazegnies (detail), 1464, Lieven van Lathem. Tempera colors, gold, and ink. Getty Museum
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Why was one man buried between two wives in the 15th-century Flemish manuscript Roman de Gillion de Trazegnies?
That question is answered in epic fashion through not only the text, but also through incredibly detailed and colorful illustrations by artist Lieven van Lathem.
In the first season of Getty's Close Looking video series, Getty curators explore the details of artworks they cherish. For this installment, Getty senior curator of manuscripts Beth Morrison explains why the Roman de Gillion de Trazegnies manuscript is one of her favorites. Aside from the entertaining story (which centers around a nobleman named Gillion de Trazegnies and his pilgrimage to Egypt, his unwitting status as a bigamist, and his triumphant death in battle), the manuscript also features illuminated illustrations that convey key plot points on an oftentimes extremely small scale. For example, Morrison highlights an illustration that is only one inch wide!
"When you look at the amazing amount of detail that this artist was able to capture in this tiny space, it's absolutely amazing, because it actually blows up really well," Morrison says. "Not every artist can paint on this detailed level, and then have it hold together as an artwork. That was the sheer genius of Lieven van Lathem."
Watch the video below to learn more about the manuscript's story and illustrations!
Get an insider's view of more works of art in Getty's Close Looking series, in which art experts and enthusiasts around Getty share some of their favorite works of art.
