Illuminated Illustrations of Froissart: Selected from the ms. in the British Museum

Pope Clement of Avignon, on hearing of the death of Urban VI. of Rome, assembled a conclave of Cardinals of his party, and strong hopes were entertained that the schism in the Church would be put an end to; nevertheless the Cardinals at Rome immediately elected Perrin de Tomacelli, Cardinal of Naples, who was crowned with great solemnity in October 1389, and took the name and title of Boniface IX., Clement continuing to act as Pope at Avignon. The composition of this illumination is arranged with great simplicity; the faces are of appropriate character and expression, and from their great variety and carefully varied features, it appears probable that some of them may be actual portraits of the individuals represented. It is coloured with exceeding richness; the flow and disposition of some of the drapery is almost equal to Albert Durer; and the linear perspective is pretty nearly correct. This is one of the most carefully executed pictures in the volume; and the arrangement of the figures at the sides, combined with the impressive and characteristic simplicity of the central group, could scarcely be surpassed by modern artists; indeed, in symmetrical arrangement, they appear to be borrowing ideas from these illuminations of the middle ages, as may be perceived in some recent modern pictures. The account of this marriage is omitted in some of the MSS. of Froissart. This truce (long delayed on account of the temporary insanity and sickness of the French king) between Richard II. of England and Charles VI. of France, was agreed should last from Michaelmas to St. John Baptist’s day, 1392, and one year longer. The drawing evidently represents a French town, as the provincial towns of France, even earlier than that period, had lofty houses of stone, many of which endure perfect to the present day, whilst in England the common houses of the towns of the same period were mostly built of timber and plaster, and were of very rude construction. This plate is also interesting on account of exhibiting so accurately the dress and general appearance of French citizens of the fourteenth century.