Female Book Owners in the Valois Courts, 1350–1550: Devotional Manuscripts as Vehicles for Self-Definition

331 Pages·2010·63.18 MB·English

by  Joni M. Hand

Female Book Owners in the Valois Courts, 1350-1550: Devotional Manuscripts as
Vehicles for Self-Definition

by

Joni M. Hand

A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Art History in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy,
The City University of New York

2010
UMI Number: 3481502
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ii

© 2010

Joni Hand

All Rights Reserved
iii

This manuscript has been read and accepted for the
Graduate Faculty in Art History in satisfaction of the
dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Professor Barbara G. Lane

Date: 3/12/2010 Chair of Examining Committee

Professor Patricia Mainardi

Date: 3/12/2010 Executive Officer

Professor Cynthia Hahn
Professor William Clark
Professor James Saslow
Supervisory Committee

THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
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Abstract

Female Book Owners in the Valois Courts, 1350-1550: Devotional Manuscripts as
Vehicles for Self-Definition

By

Joni M. Hand

Advisor: Professor Barbara G. Lane

An examination of the books owned by noblewomen from the Valois courts
reveals how significantly they contributed to the cultural and spiritual character of the
period. They were responsible for commissioning a vast number of manuscripts, some of
which were aesthetically equal to the books made for the dukes and kings. In fact, certain
manuscripts now considered the most lavish and important from this period belonged to
women. These women often married into noble families from regions far from their
native lands. When they arrived at their new homes, they brought their own customs,
knowledge of artistic styles, and aesthetic sensibilities, which affected book production in
western Europe. Appendices 1-7 show the complexity of relationships between nobles
from Burgundy, France, Spain and England for eleven generations, and include all of the
individuals discussed in this dissertation. These charts reveal the matrilineal connections
between generations and include many women who do not appear on ancestral charts in
other studies of the late medieval nobility in northern Europe. As demonstrated in the
charts, marriages could result in the solidification of certain regions within a generation,
causing genealogical ramifications in subsequent generations. This ancestral web shows
the mobility of women in western Europe in the late Middle Ages, resulting in their
desire to preserve some of their childhood traditions through commissions of devotional
manuscripts.
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This interactive nature of manuscripts and the multiple ways in which they were
used by women of the Valois courts is central to this study. I adhere to the idea that
devotional manuscripts used by these women must be studied within the context for
which they were made and in which they were used. At first glance, devotional
manuscripts appear to be just that, books of prayers. On further examination, it is clear
that they were multifunctional and could express issues that applied to many aspects of a
noblewoman’s life. This dissertation considers book collections of late medieval
noblewomen and the ways in which they used their private devotional manuscripts as
vehicles for self-definition, in order to preserve the devotional and cultural traditions of
their families.
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Acknowledgements

I never could have finished this dissertation without the support of my husband,
Kevin. He co-suffered through all the ups and downs that a graduate student goes through
with unwavering support. My advisor, Professor Barbara G. Lane, went far beyond her
duty as critical reader of my dissertation. Her constant encouragement and interest in my
topic helped immensely. Her willingness to read multiple drafts amazed me and inspired
me to work harder. Finally, Professor Bill Clark gave me much needed advice on
surviving the writing and defending of this dissertation. His gentle criticism and
bibliographic suggestions were greatly appreciated.
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Female Book Owners in the Valois Courts, 1350-1550: Private Devotional
Manuscripts as Vehicles for Self-Definition

Table of Contents

Abstract iv

Acknowledgements vi

List of Manuscripts Cited x

List of Figures xvi

Introduction 1

I. The Hours of Catherine of Cleves: A Vehicle of Self- Definition 1
II. Private Devotional Manuscripts 3
III. The Valois Courts 6
IV. Historiography of the Study of Female Book Owners in
the Late Middle Ages 8
V. Contribution of this Study to the Existing Scholarship 10
Chapter 1: Female Book Collectors in the Valois Courts 18

I. Bonne of Luxembourg 19
II. Jeanne of Bourbon 20
III. Isabeau of Bavaria 21
IV. Margaret of Flanders 23
V. Margaret of Bavaria 24
VI. Yolande of Aragon 25
VII. Charlotte of Savoy 27
VIII. Anne of France 28
IX. Louise of Savoy 29
X. Anne of Brittany 30
XI. Claude of France 31
XII. Mary of Burgundy 32
XIII. Margaret of Austria 34
XIV. Margaret of York 35
XV. Joanna of Castile 37

XVI. Conclusion 38

Chapter 2: Women and Devotional Manuscripts: Self-Definition
Through Patronage 55

I. Choice of Artists 57
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A. Margaret of Austria 57
B. Charlotte of Savoy 60
C. Louise of Savoy 62
D. Yolande of Aragon 65

II. Textual Evidence of Self-Definition 67

A. Choice of Prayers 67

1. The Bedford Hours and the Sobieski Hours 68
2. The Hours of Catherine of Cleves 71
3. The Hours of Joanna of Castile 77

B. Choice of Language 80

1. The Hours of Isabel of Portugal 81
2. The Hours of Margaret of Cleves 83

C. Inscriptions 85

1. The Breviary of Mary of Savoy 86
2. The Breviary of Isabelle of Castile 87

III. Hagiographic Evidence of Self-Definition 90

A. The Hours of Catherine of Cleves 91
B. The Brussels Hours 94
C. The Hours of Anne of France 95
D. The Hours of Margaret of Cleves 97
E. The Psalter of Jeanne of Laval 98

IV. Conclusion 100

Chapter 3: Visual Demonstrations of Self-Definition 123

I. Portraits 124

A. Devotional Portraits 124

1. Bonne of Luxembourg 126
2. Jeanne of Boulogne 127
3. Joanna of Castile 129
4. Anne of Burgundy 132
5. Margaret of Cleves 136
6. Catherine of Cleves 137
7. Mary of Savoy 139
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8. Anne of Brittany 141
9. Mary of Burgundy 144

B. Portraits within a Narrative 149

1. Anne of France 149
2. Catherine of Cleves 151
3. Margaret of Austria 152
4. Louise of Savoy 155
5. Mary of Burgundy 159

II. Coats of Arms and Mottos 161

A. Charlotte of Savoy 162
B. Anne of Burgundy 164
C. Isabelle of Castile 166
D. Catherine of Cleves 169
E. Margaret of York 170
F. Claude of France 172

III. Marginalia 174

A. The Psalter of Bonne of Luxembourg 175
B. The Breviary of Mary of Savoy 178
C. The Hours of Catherine of Cleves 183

IV. Conclusion 186

Chapter 4: Women and Legacy: The Generational Transference of Self 209

I. The Use of Manuscripts in the Early Education of Children
in the Courts 211

II. Noblewomen as Teachers: The Virgin and St. Anne as Models 228

III. Conclusion 245

Conclusion 262

Appendices 266

Bibliography 273

Figures 305