A stunning manuscript containing the full extent of the King Arthur legend, embossed with sumptuous illustrations, is going up for auction at Christie’s.
One of three such copies known—all of which remain in private collections—the Lebaudy Manuscript contains 126 illustrations, a unique story of the wizard Merlin disguising himself as a stag, and enjoys an exquisite degree of preservation considering it’s 750 years old.
Inside, readers can find the tale of King Arthur—stories of Gawain, Lancelot, Galahad and the knights of the round table, of Merlin and his antics, and of course, the Holy Grail myth.
Scholars see the auction as a fantastic opportunity to acquire the manuscript, which hasn’t been entirely documented, for public display and study, where more about this most-famous of Western fables can be revealed.
Others see in the 126 miniature illustrations—many embossed with gold leaf which shines as bright as ever—a fantastic way to draw visitors to historic libraries where such a book might be exhibited.
Any such library would have to dig into its endowments, however, as the emerald-green bound book is expected to reach at least $2 million and likely much more.
“It’s a beautifully illuminated manuscript, which contains wonderful Arthurian stories depicted in exquisite miniatures,” said Dr. Irene Fabry-Tehranchi, who specializes in French texts at Cambridge University Library, who spoke to the Guardian about the Lebaudy Manuscript. “Originally, it was made for aristocratic patrons, possibly women who were very fond of Arthurian stories.”
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Indeed, aristocratic patrons included knights, real and hereditary, and the French war hero and industrialist Jean Lebaudy.
Of special interest to scholars is the illustrations’ creator: believed to be an anonymous Low Country artist known as “Master of the Liege Apocalypse” after an illustration of the end times for which he is famous. According to scholars, his work is often attributed wherever the male figures have little red dots on the centers of their cheeks.
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