St Denis
(updated 22/07/14)
This page is primarily dependent upon Jean Vezin's work.
No synthetic description of the script is offered by Vezin. Like many other scriptoria, St Denis manuscripts are often identified through a combination of evidence, especially decoration. The touchstone for this script is Paris, BnF, lat 17371 (793x806). It bears a note stating it was made during the abbacy of Fardulf; all other palaeographical and artistic judgments regarding St Denis stem from observations of its style.
Bibliography
Script
Vezin has not offered a full description of the script of St Denis, instead offering three distinctive characteristics.
The typological divisions are Vezin's, as are most of the identifications. They are supplemented with Bischoff's judgments. Identifications made by Bischoff and not by Vezin are currently marked in italics; they are not yet complete. Hyperlinks are provided for digitized manuscripts, when available.
MSS Produced at St Denis[1]
Paris, BnF
Karlsruhe, BLB
Regensburg, Staadtarchiv.
London, BL
Cambridge, Pembroke College
Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana
MSS produced elsewhere but used at St Denis
Paris, BnF
MSS produced elsewhere, possibly by a monk trained at St Denis or familiar with their style of correction or decoration .
Paris, BnF
St Gall, Stiftsbibliothek (all online)
Munich, Staatsbibliothek
[1] Lat 528 is added from CLA 6:XXVI, but not confirmed by Vezin. Other mss in italics are added from indexes of Bischoff [only the third volume so far, 22/07/14].
[2] Vezin also considers this an excellent case study for understanding the style of decoration in St Denis manuscripts, noting especially a ‘P’ initial; I found a similar initial to what he mentions in another manuscript from St Denis: Karlsruhe, BLB, Aug perg 238, 131r.
[3] Cited in CLA X:x (in the section on Salzburg), as bearing features of the ‘Fardulf’ era St Denis miniscule, those of St Amand, and corrections from Salzburg.
(updated 22/07/14)
This page is primarily dependent upon Jean Vezin's work.
No synthetic description of the script is offered by Vezin. Like many other scriptoria, St Denis manuscripts are often identified through a combination of evidence, especially decoration. The touchstone for this script is Paris, BnF, lat 17371 (793x806). It bears a note stating it was made during the abbacy of Fardulf; all other palaeographical and artistic judgments regarding St Denis stem from observations of its style.
Bibliography
- J. Vezin, ‘Les manuscrits copiés a Saint-Denis’, in Paris et Ile-de-France 32 (1981), pp. 273-287.
- idem. 'Les relations entre Saint Denis et d'autres scriptoria,' in The Role of the Book in Medieval Culture. Bibliogia. Elementa ad librorum studium pertinentia 3 (Turnhout, 1986), pp. 17-40.
Script
Vezin has not offered a full description of the script of St Denis, instead offering three distinctive characteristics.
- ‘The fairly important element in this script is the letter ‘g’, of which the upper bow, contrary to what we observe ordinarily in Carolingian manuscripts is larger than the lower bow’. ('Les manuscrit copiés a Saint-Denis', p. 277).
- The presence of the Greek letter y (psi). Vezin says he uses this as an indication of St Denis origin, only ‘avec une grand prudence’.
- The presence of a peculiar form of punctus interrogativus (pic to come soon).
The typological divisions are Vezin's, as are most of the identifications. They are supplemented with Bischoff's judgments. Identifications made by Bischoff and not by Vezin are currently marked in italics; they are not yet complete. Hyperlinks are provided for digitized manuscripts, when available.
MSS Produced at St Denis[1]
Paris, BnF
- lat 45 and 93 (Bischoff 3955: 'probably Saint-Denis, s. ix 1-2/4')
- lat 256 (Bischoff: 3970a: 'Saint-Denis, s. ix ca. 2/4')
- lat 528 (on Gallica; Bischoff 3991: 'Saint-Denis, s. viii-ix').
- lat 1454 (Bischoff 4015: 'Mid-Francia (?), s. ix ca. 2/4)
- lat 1691 (Bischoff 4046: 'Perhaps around Paris (Saint-Denis), s. ix 3/4').
- lat 1759 (on Gallica; Bischoff 4062: 'Saint-Denis, s. ix ca. 2/4')
- lat 1838 (Bischoff: 4084 'Saint-Denis (?), s. ix ca 3/4')
- lat 1839 (Bischoff 4084a: 'Saint-Denis, s. ix')
- lat 2195, ff 2-149 (Bischoff 4145: 'Saint-Denis, s. ix inc, after 802')
- lat 2354 (Bischoff 4172: 'Paris (?) (Saint-Denis?), s. ix, ca. 2/4 or med').
- lat 2864 (Bischoff 4258: 'Saint-Denis, s. ix, 868 at earliest')
- lat 7186 (Bischoff 4427: ff 1-41 paired with lat 7183, Paris or nearby, s. ix 2/4; ff 42-57 are 'NE of Paris, s. ix 3/3 (or 2/3)')
- lat 11219 (on Gallica; Bischoff 4670 and 4671: 'Saint-Denis, s ix med' with biblical fragments interspersed that are 'West Germany, s. ix med')
- lat 11611 (CLA VI, XXVI: 793x806; Bischoff 4692: 'Saint-Denis, s. ix 1/3'; provenance: Corbie)
- lat
13171 (Bischoff 4875: 'Paris (Saint-Denis or Saint-Germain-des-Prés), s. ix ca. 3/3)
- lat
14986 (Bischoff 4970: 'probably Paris, Saint-Denis, s. ix ca. 3/3')
- lat
15304 (Bischoff 4974: 'Saint-Denis, 793x806' [i.e. Fardulf era])
- lat
15305 (same)
- lat 17371 (Bischoff 5003 and 5004: ff 1-153 are 'Saint-Denis, 793x806'; and 178-93 are 'Northern Francia, s. ix 2/4' )[2]
- lat
18554 (Bischoff 5058, 5059 and 5060: f 2 is 'Francia, s. ix 1-2/4'; ff 4-139 are 'St Denis, s. ix 2/2'; and ff 140-168 are 'NW Germany (Corvey with Corbie influence?), s. ix 3/4')
- nouv acq
lat 1096 (Bischoff 5078: 's. ix 4/4', although Ebersperger notes that he said in Anecdota Novissima p. 123, 'Saint-Denis, soon after 800').
Karlsruhe, BLB
- Aug perg 74 (on BLB website; similar to nouv acq lat 1096, according to Vezin)
- Aug perg 226 (guard leaf of MSS; letter about exchange of books between Reichenau and St Denis, originally joined to following manuscript)
- Aug perg 238 (on website)
Regensburg, Staadtarchiv.
- A
1950/13c, fol. 1 only (no entry in Bischoff)
London, BL
- Harley MS 208 (on BL website; arrived in York, originally from St Denis)
Cambridge, Pembroke College
- MS 83 (793-806)
Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana
- Reg. lat. 309 (perhaps ca 885; present year noted on fol 79, a computus text; Bischoff 6654: ff 1-29, 58-127 are labeled 'Saint-Denis, s. ix ca. med and s. ix, 2/2')
MSS produced elsewhere but used at St Denis
Paris, BnF
- lat 250 (Tours New Testament with St Denis corrections in it);
MSS produced elsewhere, possibly by a monk trained at St Denis or familiar with their style of correction or decoration .
Paris, BnF
- lat 12132 (first two folios of first quire; a scribe formed at St Denis in the time of Fardulf)
- lat 13025 and 14087 (both on Gallica; both from Corbie, but bearing initials like those at St Denis)
St Gall, Stiftsbibliothek (all online)
Munich, Staatsbibliothek
- Clm 5508 (CLA IX: 1247).[3]
[1] Lat 528 is added from CLA 6:XXVI, but not confirmed by Vezin. Other mss in italics are added from indexes of Bischoff [only the third volume so far, 22/07/14].
[2] Vezin also considers this an excellent case study for understanding the style of decoration in St Denis manuscripts, noting especially a ‘P’ initial; I found a similar initial to what he mentions in another manuscript from St Denis: Karlsruhe, BLB, Aug perg 238, 131r.
[3] Cited in CLA X:x (in the section on Salzburg), as bearing features of the ‘Fardulf’ era St Denis miniscule, those of St Amand, and corrections from Salzburg.