The Art of the Book - St Denis Missal

Produced at Paris in about 1350 for the Abbey of Saint-Denis, this missal contains the liturgy for the mass. The manuscript is of a very high quality, and as the abbey was the chief burial place of the Kings of France, it is probable that it may have been a royal gift. The missal is illuminated with nearly thirty miniatures illustrating events from the Bible and lives of the saints. The artist is known from a number of works of the period to have been influential in the development of a naturalistic style and the use of perspective in France. The initial shown illustrates a scene from the legend of the founding of the abbey. A stag pursued by the future king, Dagobert, takes refuge in the church containing the relics of St. Denis, and the hounds are unable to follow.

[The page shown here is different to that exhibited.]

St. Denis Missal
Produced at Paris in about 1350 for the Abbey of Saint-Denis, this missal contains the liturgy for the mass. The manuscript is of a very high quality, and as the abbey was the chief burial place of the Kings of France, it is probable that it may have been a royal gift. The missal is illuminated with nearly thirty miniatures illustrating events from the Bible and lives of the saints. The artist is known from a number of works of the period to have been influential in the development of a naturalistic style and the use of perspective in France. The initial shown illustrates a scene from the legend of the founding of the abbey. A stag pursued by the future king, Dagobert, takes refuge in the church containing the relics of St. Denis, and the hounds are unable to follow. [The page shown here is different to that exhibited.]

St. Denis Missal