Illuminated New Testament in Old French

The bible is inscribed with Jean’s signature and titles of Duke of Normandy and of Guyenne, the latter of which he assumed in 1345 before succeeding to the throne in 1350. It was probably among the manuscripts seized with him by the English at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356. Erased inscriptions examined under ultraviolet light show that the bible passed to Thomas, Duke of Clarence (1387-1421), son of Henry IV of England, and to his brother, Humfrey, Duke of Gloucester (1390-1447).

The book has remained in the hands of private owners in Britain until the present day. It was recently the subject of an export bar to prevent its sale abroad, with the reviewing committee particularly noting its ‘outstanding significance for the study of Anglo-French cultural exchange, learning and patronage during the period of the Hundred Years’ War’.

The bible now joins the collection of the Bodleian Library, where it has special significance for its connection to Humfrey, Duke of Gloucester. After his death in 1447, Humfrey left his collection of more than 280 books to the University of Oxford, where Duke Humfrey’s Library was constructed in his name. This collection was largely dispersed during the Reformation, but the building remains the Bodleian’s oldest reading room.

This work was acquired with assistance from the Wolfson Foundation.