medieval butterflies

Order of the Silver Brooch for Mariette de Bretagne

Taking inspiration from the recipient's arms and persona I started looking for manuscripts with fourteenth century butterflies.

Inspired by this website, I enjoyed choosing a collection of pages from these manuscripts at Bodleian Library Oxford, England.  MS Bodl. 264, folios 67 r, 132 v and 135 r. Full MS.

"This manuscript, one of the most sumptuous books of the Middle Ages, contains a cycle of romances about Alexander the Great. Its exquisite illustrations were completed in Flanders in 1344 by the artist Jehan de Grise."

http://medievalromance.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/A_cycle_of_Alexander_romances

My calligrapher and I enjoyed the idea of catching butterflies with our hoods and hoped Mariette would like it too!

I reached out to the contact for help with the words since Alexandre and I didn't know Mariette. Alys Mackyntoich was my contact and offered to write them for us.  As I said to Alys, it's always a privilege and honor to work on a scroll with her!

Alys used one very early 14th cen. French charter as an inspiration and gave us these words:

Brennan Ri and Caoilfhionn Banri, to all who will view these present letters, in perpetuity. Since human memory is unstable and inclined to harmful things, it is useful that those things that are known to be worthy deeds be prudently preserved in written testimony. Therefore, may both the present and the future take notice that We value and esteem the artistry in verse, pen and ink of Mariette de Bretagne and, in witness of her excellence in such matters, do by these present letters endow and invest her with the Order of the Silver Brooch. In testimony and proof of this deed made and for fuller and perpetual strength of certainty we have caused the present document to be validated by our ensigns manual. So done and caused to be done upon 2 April in the fiftieth year of the Society.

Alexandre Sainte Pierre practiced a hand based on the same manuscript and calligraphed them for me in a layout I designed.  After, I set to work drawing in the final layout in pencil then inked the lines with Speedball India Ink.