Robert de Lisle - Il Salterio - 1300-2008

GOLD 22 CARATS AND GOTHIC MINIATURES: THE LISLE PSALTER AT THE BRITISH LIBRARY
Extraordinary facsimile of one of the masterpieces of English Gothic miniature painting from the 14th century. The famous Lisle Psalter of Robert de Lisle, today housed at the British Library, is reproduced with exceptional fidelity in colors and in the sumptuous miniatures. The special edition uses 22-karat gold leaf and powdered gold, restoring the luminosity of the medieval original. The lot also includes the Lucy Freeman Sandler Commentary volume. One of only 450 copies of the special edition produced by Scripta Manent: this is copy no. 444.

ABSTRACT
The Lisle Psalter of Robert de Lisle is one of the most fascinating illuminated manuscripts produced in Gothic England and derives its name from its former owner, the English baron and parliamentarian Robert de Lisle (1288-1344). The manuscript, now in the British Library, is renowned for the extraordinary richness of its iconographic program, in which religious images, cosmological diagrams, moral allegories, and biblical scenes are constructed through vibrant colors, elaborate decorative architectures, and abundant gold. The present facsimile edition, published in Bologna by Scripta Manent in 2008, belongs to the prestigious special series of 450 copies, characterized by the use of 22-karat gold leaf and powdered gold. The edition comprises two volumes: the facsimile and the accompanying Lucy Freeman Sandler Commentary. Copy no. 444.

MARKET VALUE
Indicative market value: €900-1,300. This is a high-end facsimile, made especially attractive by the limited special edition of only 450 copies, the use of genuine 22-karat gold, and the inclusion of the Commentary volume.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
2 volumes. Full-leather hardcover binding in dark red-brown color, with rich blind tooling on the boards and four brass clasps. The separate Lucy Freeman Sandler Commentary volume is preserved in its own full-cloth binding. The plexiglass slipcase is missing. Special limited edition of 450 copies produced by Scripta Manent; this copy is no. 444. Facsimile richly illustrated in color with miniatures, many full-page, created with 22-karat gold leaf and powdered gold. The two volumes show normal minor signs of wear. In old books with a centuries-long history, some imperfections may be present, not always noted in the description. This listing contains AI Renderings. Refer to the original photographs to verify the actual condition of the item. Images are an integral part of the description. Pp.:
Vol. I: (2); 38; (2); 2nn.
Vol II: (2); 124; (2).

FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
The Lisle Psalter.
Bologna, Scripta Manent, 2008. Facsimile edition of the manuscript preserved at the British Library, MS Arundel 83 II, ff. 117-135v. With Lucy Freeman Sandler’s Commentary volume. Special Scripta Manent edition limited to 450 copies, with miniatures embellished by 22-karat gold leaf and powder. Copy no. 444.
AA.VV.

CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
constitutes one of the most spectacular witnesses of English Gothic illumination. The manuscript belonged to Robert de Lisle, English aristocrat and parliamentarian who lived in the 13th and 14th centuries, and features an exceptionally sophisticated figurative program in which religious devotion intertwines with cosmological, genealogical, and moral representations. The miniatures are characterized by intense colors, gold backgrounds, elegantly drawn figures, and complex architectural frames. Also particularly interesting is the presence of decorative elements in which Islamic and Iberian influences have been identified, placed within the broader framework of cultural exchanges that concerned the English court and were fostered by relations with Spain, including Eleanor of Castile, wife of Edward I of England. The quality and complexity of the figurative apparatus make the codex one of the most important examples of early 14th-century English visual culture.

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
The manuscript does not have a single identifiable author in the modern sense. Its name derives from Robert de Lisle (1288-1344), English baron, parliamentarian, and medieval owner of the codex. The complex figurative program was executed by professional scribes/miniateurs belonging to the English artistic milieu of the early 14th century. The facsimile is accompanied by the scholarly commentary of Lucy Freeman Sandler, a leading scholar of English medieval illumination, who has devoted particular attention to the De Lisle Psalter and its iconography.

PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
The original is naturally a medieval manuscript, not a typographic work. This facsimile reproduction was published in 2008 by Scripta Manent, Bologna, with the aim of faithfully reproducing the material and chromatic characteristics of the code preserved at the British Library. As stated in the colophon, the general edition consisted of 800 copies numerically signed in Arabic numerals, plus 40 copies with Roman numeration for documentary and archival purposes. Within this edition, 450 copies were produced by Scripta Manent in a special edition, manually enriched with 22-karat gold leaf and powder. This copy, no. 444, belongs to this prestigious special series.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
British Library, Arundel MS 83 II, ff. 117r-135v, De Lisle Psalter. Lucy Freeman Sandler, studies and commentary dedicated to the De Lisle Psalter and to English Gothic miniature painting. Scripta Manent, Bologna, 2008, special facsimile edition. British Library catalogues relating to the Arundel manuscripts and to medieval English illumination. Specialist bibliography on English Gothic art, 14th-century illuminated psalters, and the iconography of the De Lisle Psalter. Work of particular interest for collections devoted to MANUSCRIPT ILLUMINATIONS – FACSIMILES – GOLD 22 CARAT – BRITISH LIBRARY – ROBERT DE LISLE – PSALTERS – ENGLISH GOTHIC – MEDIEVAL ILLUMINATION – ICONOGRAPHY – 14TH CENTURY.