61

GLORIA K. FIERO

Geertgen tot Sint Jans and the Dutch Manuscript Tradition*

Some years ago the late L. M.J. Delaisse, specialist in late The figures dominate the picture space to the exclusion of medieval manuscripts, criticized art historians for harboring landscape or other settings. Jesus, Mary and Lazarus form a the prejudice that great paintings always provided the mod- shallow arc that barely penetrates the picture space. The Jew- els for lesser works. He noted as a case in point the minia- ish witnesses, with kerchiefs over their noses, stand behind tures in illuminated manuscripts; why, he asked, might not and to the left of Mary and Martha. The apostles flank Jesus these smaller, less imposing works have inspired the more on the right. Lazarus emerges from a stone sarcophagus so monumental efforts of panel painters? Research of the past that 2/3 of his shrouded torso is visible. His wrists arc bound two decades has added some substance to his hypothesis.2 in the manner of many pictorial renderings of the subject in The early history of Dutch art is riddled with lacunae, but the middle to late fifteenth century. 12 Jesus and Lazarus look among the surviving examples there is evidence that at least directly at each other as the miracle takes place, a detail that in one case, Geertgen tot Sint Jans' Raising of Lazarus (Fig. contributes to the dramatic intimacy of the event, and one a miniature provided the model for key figures in the that does not figure in the most famous fifteenth century painting. Dutch panel painting of the Raising of Lazarus, that by The miniature in question (Fig. 2), The Raisigg of Lazarus Albert van Ouwater in the Gemaldegalerie der Staatlichen from a Book of Hours in the Niedersachsische Landesbi- Museen, I3erlin-Dahlem. The Grisaille Group belongs to the bliothek (MS I 83, fol. 13v),4 belongs to the Grisaille Group, domain of the devotional image whose special character is a series of full-page, single-leaf miniatures that appear in the isolation of the religious event as an aid to meditation and fourteen Books of Hours executed in the North Netherlands private piety. Typically, the Raising of Lazarus miniature around 1440.5 Altogether the Grisaille Group comprises over forfeits narrative detail in favor of expressive simplicity. 150 miniatures that illustrate 56 different subjects, including At first glance Geertgen tot Sint Jans' Raising cif Lazarus scenes from the Youth and Passion of Christ, saints' images seems unrelated to our miniature. Set in a courtyard framed and other representations appropriate to the late medieval by an expansive landscape, Geertgen's painting renders the devotional prayerbook.6 Identical numbers of individual miraculous event within a much larger physical and icono- compositions copied or mechanically traced - give evi- graphic framework. The kneeling foreground figures draw dence of the popularity of these miniatures in book illustra- our eye into the scene and contribute to the deepening of the tion of the period. Among the manuscripts that include the picture space. The Raising itself takes place in the middle grisaille miniatures, that in the Niedersachsische Landesbi- ground, which incorporates the disbelieving Jews and the bliothek in Hannover has probably received the least atten- followers of Jesus. To the traditional bystanders, Gcertgen tion.7 This Latin prayerbook includes three grisaille minia- has added the donors, a dog, and background figures, some tureS8 and its Raising of Lazarus9 is the only known example of whom witness the miracle from within the courtyard. An of the subject in the Grisaille Group. earlier episode from the Lazarus account (John 11: 30-34) is Like the other miniatures in the Grisaille Group, The Raising depicted in the distant landscape beyond the walled court- of Lazarus was prepared on a detached leaf and inserted into yard. Geertgen's painting, then, conceived in a manner that the gathering of the manuscript. 10 Measuring approximately anticipates the spatial innovations of late 15th century Neth- 97 x 69 millemeters, this miniature is executed in brownish- erlandish panel painters, would seem to have no relation to black tones with rose tints used for the flesh and gold for a book illustration whose size and function are, by compari- haloes and weapons.11 The heavily robed figures, which son, far less imposing. Nevertheless, key elements of the Gri- press up against the picture plane are, in the cases of Christ saille Group miniature are carefully preserved in Geertgen's and Lazarus, awkwardly articulated. However, heads and panel (Fig. 3). hands are rendered carefully and close attention is given to The resemblance between the Jesus of the miniature and that facial expression. The faces of Mary, Jesus and Peter are espe- of the panel is unmistakable. The Savior is shown in three- cially sensitive, testifying to the artist's ability to individuate quarter stance, his left hand grasping his robe and his right his figures. There is an attractive balance between the fine arm extended away from the body in a gesture that calls linear penwork of the hair and facial features and the more forth Lazarus. Jesus's awkwardly foreshortened left arm and broadly shaded areas of the composition. As is peculiar to the the play of folds in the robe that hides his arm are similarly Grisaille Group, the draperies are copious and fall in deep conceived - or misconceived - in both miniature and paint- folds conceived in an angular and often arbitrary manner. ing. In the treatment of Christ's head, moreover, details such 62 63

1 Geertgen tot Sint Jans, The Raising of Lazarus. Paris, Louvre (photo: Mus6es Nationaux).

2 The Raising of Lazarus. Han- nover, Niedersachsische Lan- desbibliothck, MS I, 83, fol. 13v (photo: Niedersachsische Lan- desbibliothek).

3 Detail of Fig. 1.

4 The Raising of Lazarus, wood- cut from a Netherlandish Biblia Pauperum, London, British Museum Print Room, C.D., C.1 (photo: British Library).

as the exposed left ear and specific facial features such as the thought to have been executed in the 1480's.17 The earliest brow and mouth correspond closely between miniature and of the Books of Hours in which Grisaille Group miniatures panel. 14 appears (Leyden, Bibl. der Rijks., B.P.L. 224) was begun in The three-quarter disposition of Lazarus, his hands raised in 1439,1 and most of the other manuscripts in the Group were prayer, is repeated in Geertgen's panel, even to the ambi- produced in the 1440's.19 Since some of the highest quality guously disposed abdomen. In both panel and miniature, the folios from the Cirisaille Group were executed on sheets pre- upper part of the torso contradicts the position of the lower pared for the Lcyden manuscript,20 it is possible that the Gri- half, a feature that is accentuated in Geertgen's rendering by saille Group was conceived as early as the late 1430' S.2A ter- his addition of the lower third of Lazarus' body. Although minus ante quem of 1448 is provided by a dated manuscript Geergen does not link the two central figures in the drama of the Miroir de la salvation humai11efrom Lille,'2 in which by eye contact, as is the case in the miniature, he juxtaposes compositions from the Passion miniatures of the Grisaille them in a decidedly intimate manner, maintaining the unity Group appear.23 In that the Grisaille Group miniatures were of the smaller compostion and preserving its devotional inte- prepared independent of the manuscripts in which they are grity. Despite Geertgen's transformation of the Raising of included, the date of any single manuscript gives us only an Lazarus into a full-blown narrative, the fundamental ele- approximate idea of when its miniatures were executed. ments of the panel are too close to those of the miniature to Individual numbers might have been done previous to, dur- be a matter of mere coincidence.l5 ing or after the actual copying of the manuscripts in which The dating of C'?eertgen's oeuvre has long been a matter of they appear. The repetition of identical compositions from dispute;' however, The Raisin

Dutch prayerbooks suggests that a set of prototypes, perhaps Grisaille Group compositions reappear in woodcuts31 and in the form of a model book24 was available to artisans who miniatures32 of the period. The Hannover Raising is so clo- copied miniatures25 wherever and whenever needed. If we sely related to a woodcut from a Netherlandish edition of the assume that The Raising of Lazarus belongs to the original Biblia Patiperii M33 (Fig. 4) as to suggest that both woodcut group of grisaille miniatures executed between 1439 and and miniature look back to a lost common prototype.34 1449, how do we explain the time gap between this minia- Comparison of the three versions of the Raising of Lazarus ture and a panel painting executed by Geertgen some 40 (Figs. 2, 3, 4) reveals that Geertgen's rendering is more faith- years later? ful to the miniature than to the woodcut, but the presence Art historians have repeatedly noted the possibility that of a similar composition that probably dates from the late Geertgen began his career as an illuminator of manuscripts. 26 1450's35 suggests that Geertgen might have encountered the Robert Koch discovered a 'Geerkin de Hollandere' enrolled Grisaille Group Raising of Lazarus by way of some interme- in a guild of illuminators and bookmasters in Bruges in diary graphic source. Such a possibility would resolve the 1475/76,27 and although this evidence presents chronological enigma of the otherwise wide time gap between the minia- problems to some scholarly reconstructions of Geertgen',s ture and the panel painting. career,28 it offers substance to the hypothesis issued on purely Still other instances of similarities between paintings attri- visual grounds that Geertgen was trained in the tradition of buted to Geertgen or his followers and Dutch miniatures late medieval manuscript illumination. Moreover, similari- suggest the importance of the manuscript tradition in the art ties between Gcertgen's female types (especially his 'doll-like of panel painting.36 One example involves yet another Gri- Madonnas' with high foreheads) and those in the Grisaille saille Group composition, that of St. Martin dividing his Group29 suggest that Geertgen came into contact with these cloak with a beggar (Fig. 5) .37 The panel painting of the miniatures or their prototype early in his career. same subject (Fig. 6) in the John G. Johnson Collection, Phi- Further, during the mid to late fifteenth century the Grisaille ladelphia, usually attributed to Geertgen or a close fol- Group was a popular source of imagery that circulated in a lower, 3 ' bears unmistakable resemblance to the Grisaille variety of media. Miniatures from the Passion series in the Group version. The grisaille composition, in turn, is related Group, for instance, are almost identical with nine metal en- to three other miniatures, the earliest of which appears in a gravings of the Passion by the earliest known Netherlandish Dutch prayerbook from the first quarter of the fifteenth cen- engraver, the Master of the Gardens of Love,3° while other tury.39 The St. Martin miniature in the extraordinary Book 65

5 St. Martin and the Beggar. Han- nover, Niedersachsische Lan- desbibliothek, MS I, 83, fol. 2v (photo: Niedersachsische Lan- desbibliothek).

6 Follower of Geertgen tot Sint Jans, St. Martin and the Beggar. Philadelphia, John G. Johnson Collection (photo: Philadelphia Museum of Art).

7 St. Martin and the Beggar. New York, Pierpont Morgan Li- brary, MS 917, p. 279 (photo: Morgan Library).

of Hours by the Master of Catherine of Clevcs (Fig. 7)4° is panels, individual figures and groups appear physically a variant of the composition that anticipates the setting in the detached from one another and isolated in spatial 'cells'; in panel. As with the Raising of Lazarus, a compositional pro- The Raising of Lazarus they arc unified principally by the totype must have originated early in the century. architectural setting.43 What then does the interdependence between panels and This circumstance may indeed be the result of Geertgen's miniatures suggest to us about Dutch art of the late fifteenth habit of piecing together elements borrowed freely from century, particularly with regard to Geertgen's style? First, other paintings44 or from manuscript models. Geertgen's it underlines the often made observation that copies, even syncretism, however, was not an end in itself, but rather, a exact copies, were valued as acceptable formulations of means of achieving a narrative pictorial style. The process of popular imagery,41 and that thcir preservation from gene- recasting devotional imagery from miniatures into a larger ration to generation contributed to the essentially conserva- narrative framework illustrates the transition from devotion- tive cast of fifteenth century Dutch painting. In the case of al to narrative representation in fifteenth century Dutch the St. Martin image, for instance, there is a span of at least painting.45 sixty years between the earliest miniature and the painting. The extent to which miniatures actually provided the models With regard to Geertgen, we may conclude that the artist's for monumental art, even into the late fifteenth century, is selection of a manuscript model for a monumental commis- yet to be determined. But the evidence suggests that connec- sion makes even more enigmatic his relationship to his tradi- tions between miniatures and panel paintings were stronger tionally alleged teacher, Ouwater,42 from whose composi- than has been assumed heretofore, and bears out the hypoth- tion and iconographic focus he clearly departs. Finally, esis that minor works may have influenced major ones in the Gecrtgen's dependence on manuscript art helps to explain history of Dutch art. some of the peculiarities of his style. In many of Geertgen's 66

* I wish to thank 1)rs. James Marrow and Koninklijke Bibliotheek, MS 74G 35; Lei- the manuscripts in which they appear, see James Snyder for their critical readings of an dcn, Bibliotheek der Rijksuniversiteit, Ficro, 'Devotional Illumination,' Appendix earlier draft of this manuscript. A prelim- B.P.L. 224; Lisbon, Fundacao Calouste Gul- III. nary version of this material was read at the benkian, Inv. LA 137; London, Victoria and 7 Third Annual Conference on Manuscript Albert Museum, George Reid MS 32; New The manuscript consists of two parts Studies, St. Louis, Missouri, 1976. York, The Picrpont Morgan Library, MS joined together in the late fifteenth century. 349; Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Doucc The first portion (fols. 1-30v) has a calendar 1 'A propos du livre de E. Panofsky, "Early 248; Paris Bibliotheque Mazarine, MS 500; for the bishopric of Utrecht; the second por- Netherlandish Painting,'" Scriptorium, XI, Warsaw, Biblioteka Narodowa, MS Gol- tion (fols. 31-136v) may have been intended 1957,109-18. landskaja O.v.I.3 (Present shelf mark 3779). for a Hildesheim patron since it includes See G. K. Ficro, Devotional Illumination in prayers venerating saints from that area; 2 For instance, C. M. Kauffmann shows that Early NetherlandishManuscripts: A Study of Hannover, Niedersachsischc Landesbiblio- an illustrated commentary on the Apoca- the Grisaille Miniatures in Thirteen Related thek, unpublished description, 1-2. lypse or a lost manuscript closely related to FifteenthCentury Booksof Hours, Ph.D. diss., it was the model for an Apocalypse altar- Tallahassee, 1970. To these may be added: 8 St. Martin, fol. 2v and The Adoration of piece in the Victoria and Albert Museum; Hannover, Niedersachsische Landesbiblio- the Magi, fol. 8v. The St. Martin composi- see An Altar-piecepf theApocalypsefrom Mas- thck, MS I 83; a Flemish prayerbook in Cha- tion appears also in Brussels, Bibl. roy., MS ter Bertram's Workshopin Hamburg, London, pel Hill (North Carolina), Wilson Library, 21696, fol. 125v. The Adoration appears in 1968; Charles Sterling traces the influence of MS 10; and an Italian prayerbook, The five other Grisaille Group manuscripts: Ley- the Limburg Brothers on Burgundian panel Hague, Koninklijke Bibliotheek, MS 135E den, Bibl. der Rijks. B.P.L. 224, fol. 82v; painting of the early fifteenth century in 'Un 23. For the present location of the last Lisbon, Gulbenkian Inv. LA 137, fol. 110; Nouveau Tableau bourguignon et les Lim- manuscript I thank J. Marrow, who also Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Douce 248, bourg,' Studies in Late Medieval and Renais- brought to my attention the set of six draw- fol. 109v; Paris, Bibl. Maz., MS 500, fol. sancePainting in Honor of Millard Meiss, ed. ings related to the Grisaillc Group housed in 48v. Minute variations in the copying pro- I. Lavin and J. Plummcr, 2 vols., New York, London, British Museum. See A. E. cess and copy errors within the Grisaille 1977, I, 415-28, II, pls. 138-43. Popham, ed., Catalogueof Drawingsby Dutch Group give evidence of at least a half dozen and FlemishArtists Preservedin the Department different copyists. The Hannover miniatures 3 Paris, Louvre, No. 2563A, Inv. No. RF of Prints and Drawings in the British Museum, are stylistically close to those in the Antwerp 1285 (127 x 97 crn). Originally attributed to London, 1932, V, 79-80. For the Grisaille manuscript, where sooty shading and some- Geertgen by Jules Renouvier, 'Gerard de S. Group see A. W. Byvanck, 'Een schilder- what exaggerated facial features are com- Jean de Harlem,' Revue Imiverselledes arts, school te Delft,' Oudheidkundig Jaarboek,III, mon. VIII, 1858, 113-21. For detailed bibliogra- 1923, 188-201; A.W. Byvanck and G.J. 9 phy on the panel, see Edouard Michel, Hoogewerff, La Miniature hollandaiseet les The miniature is followed by a selection Musée National du Louvre. CatalogueraisonHé manuscritsil/ustrés du Xl Ve au XVIE siècles from the Gospel of John (11 : 1-45). Earlier despeintures du Moyen-Age, de la Renaissance aux Pays-Bas septentrionaux, 3 vols., The in the manuscript (fol. 7v) there is also an et destemps moderrte, Paris, 1953, 119-22. For Hague, 1922-26, text, 22-26; A. W. unillustrated prayer to Lazarus, '0 beate bibliography on Geertgen, see Max Fried- Byvanck, La Miniature dans les Pays-Bassep- lazare merito laudaris...' Idnder, Early Netherlandish Painting, trans. tentrionaux, trans. Adrienne Haye, Paris, ' Hein7 Nordcn, notes G. Lcmmons, New 1937, 71-77; G.J. Hoogewerff, De Noord- This frequently noted practice was popu- York, 1969 [hereafter ENP], V, 91-92, Nederlandsche schilderktmst, 5 vols., The lar in the production of fifteenth century 94-96, 101-104; since 1969: A. Chatelet, Hague, 1936-47. II, 319-30; S. Sawicka, Dutch manuscripts. See J. Wcale, 'Docu- 'Geertgen tot St. Jans dessirlatcur: une pro- 'Les Principaux manuscrits a peintures de la ments inedits sur les eI1111rI11I1cL7rSde Bruges,' position,' Album Amicorum].G. van Gelder, Bibliotheque nationale de Varsovie,' Bulletin Le Beffroi,IV, 1872-73, 238-39. In the case ed. J. Bruyn et al, The Hague, 1973, 799-82; de la Société français dereproductiorts de rnartus- of the Leyden praycrbook five of the minia- P. H. Schabacker, 'The Holy Kinship in a crits £ peintures, XIX, 1938, 117-25; L. M. J. tures were executed on folios that were pre- Church; Gccrtcn and the Westphalian Mas- Dclaisse, A Century of Dutch Manuscript pared to receive the hand-written text (the ter of 1473,' Oud Holland, LXXXIX, 1975, Illumination, California Studiesin tyteHistory guide-lines arc still visible). A. W. Byvanck 225-42; Z. Urbach, Geertgen tot Sint Jans, pf Art VI, Berkeley-Los Angeles, 1968, took this to indicate that these folios were Budapest, 1976; Diane Scillia, 'Van Mandcr 30-32; G.K. Fiero, 'Smith MS 36: A Study prepared along with the text or in the same on Ouwatcr and Geertgen,' Art Bulletirt,LX, in Fifteenth Century Manuscript Illumina- studio as that in which the manuscript was 1978, 271-73 and rejoinder J. D. Bangs, Art tion,' The Courier (Syracuse University Li- copied, 'Noord-Nederlandsche Miniaturen, Bulletin, LXI, 1979, 505-506. brary Associates), XIII, 1976, 3-27; and III. Hct Horarium der Universiteltsbiblio- James Marrow, 'A Book of Hours from the theek tc Leiden,' Bulletin van den Nederland- 4 I am gratcful to Hans Immel of the Nic- Circle of the Master of the Berlin Passion: schen OudheidkundigetiBond, XIII, 1920, dersdchsischeLandesbibliothck in Hannovcr Notes on the Relationship between Fif- 224-39. for sending me the library's unpublished dc- teenth Century Manuscript Illumination and 11 scription of MS I, 83. Printmaking in the Rhenish Lowlands,' Art The artist omits, however, the green, Bulletin, LX, 1978, 609-10. P.F.J. Obbema, ochre and blue tints that are used in all Gri- 5 These Books of Hours arc as follows: Keeper of Western Manuscripts at the saille Group miniatures with the exception Antwerp, Museum Plantin-Moretus, MS University Library in Leiden, is preparing an of those in the Antwerp and Lisbon manus- 14.19; Baltimore, The Walters Art Gallery, article in which he will locate the grisaille cripts. MS W. 165; Brusscls, Bibliotheque royale, workshop in the Lopsen monastery in Lei- '' MS 21696; Copenhagen, Kongelige Bib- den (letter of August 7, 1980). For instance, in the central panel of a trip- liothck, Gamle Konelige Samling, MS tych by Nicolas Frornlent, repro. M. S. Gray- 3445.8°; Haarlem, Bisschoppclijk Museum For a list of the subjects in thirteen of the son, 'The Northern Origins of Nicolas Fro- voor Religicuze Kunst, MS 55; The Hague, Grisaille Group manuscripts and an index to ment's Resurrection of Lazarus Now in the 67

zs Uffizi Gallery,' Art Bulletin,LVIII 1976, 352, Mostaert,' Art Bulletin, LIII, 1971, 445-47. On copying techniques see J. D.Farquhar, Fig. 1; in a fresco by Pierre Spricre, Chapel Creation and Imitation. The Work of a Fif- of St. Leger de Notre Dame in Beaunc, Michcl dates the panel between 1475-80, teenth-CenturyManuscript Illuminator, Nova repro J. Bacri, 'Pierre Spicre, peintre bour- Louvre Catalogue, 121. I7iane Scillia ad- University Studies in the Humanities I, Fort guignon du XVe siecle,' Gazette des beaux- vanccd a date of after 1484 in her paper, 'A Lauderdalc, 1976, 65-69. arts, VII, 1935, Figs. 3-4; and in a Nether- terminuspost quemfor Geertgen tot Sint Jans' 26 landish panel in the Louvre, repro. Charles Raising of Lazarus,' read at the 1978 annual Erwin Panofsky, Early Netherlandish Sterling and Helene Adhcmar, Peinturesécole meeting of the College Art Association of 1'ainting. Its Origins and Character, Cam- françaiseXIVe et XVe siecles,Paris, 1965, pl. Arnerica in New York City. bridge, Mass., 1953, I, 324-30; Suzannc 128-33. On the origin of the motif, see Ger- Sulzberger, 'Gerard de Saint Jean et 1'art de trud Schiller, Iconographyof Christian Art, 18 Byvanck, Bulletin van den Nederlandschen la miniature', Oud Holland, LXXIV, 1959, trans. Janet Seligman, Greenwich, Conn., OudheidkundigenBond, 1920, 226-27. On the 167-69; and J. Q. van Regteren Altena, 1966, I, 186. On the iconography of the Leyden prayerbook see also Gerhardus 'Wanneer verbleef Geertgen tot Sint Jans in Raising of Lazarus in general, see Emile Knuttel, 'De Miniaturen in het Leiden Getij- Vlaanderen,' Oud Holland, LXXXI, 1966, Male, 'La Resurrection dc Lazarc dans 1'art," denboek (Univ. Bibl. B.P.L. 224),' Oudheid- 76-83. Revue desarts, I, 1951, 44-52; Donat de Cha- kundig Jaarboek,1, 1921, 4-15. `'' peaurouge, 'Ouwater's Lazaruserweckung 'Geertgen tot Sint Jans in Bruges,' Art als politischen Document,' Pantheon, "The calendar in the Lisbon prayerbook Bulletin, XXXIII, 1951, 259-60. XXXV, 1977, 108-16; and the forthcoming the date Easter tables drafted provides 1443; zs book by Hans Guratzsch, Die Au_ferweckun? between 1440 and 1442 give an approximate Snyder, for instance, has reservations des Lazarus in der riiederlindischenKunst von date for the Copenhagen manuscript. See about accepting the document, as 1475/76 1400 bis 1700. Ikonographieund Ikonologie, Fiero, 'Devotional Illumination,' 41; and W. seems to him 'too early a date for Geertgen's Kortrijk, proposed for 1981. I am grateful to de Vrecsc, `Dictschc Kalandars,' Jaarboekder apprenticeship,' Art Bulletin, 1971, 446. Dr. Guratzsch for sending me parts of the Vlaamsche Koninklijke Academie,XXV, 1911, 29 unpublished manuscript, and to J. Marrow 25. See Snyder, 'The Early Haarlem School for calling this work to my attention. of Painting, Part 11.Geertgen tot Sint Jans,' 2° Fols. 13v, 1-06v and 204v (Byvanck's Art Bulletin, XLII, 1960, 120. 13 Repro. Frlcdliiidcr, ENP, 111,Pl. 52. In Hand C). 3o Ouwatcr's composition, Lazarus faces the In his first publication on the Master, Max 2' viewer with his back to Jesus. In still another This conjecture is supported by details of Lehrs asserted that miniatures in the Brussels Dutch version of the theme, that by the costume and by the relationship between and Antwerp manuscripts of the Grisaille Master of the Tiburtine Sibyl, (repro. Fried- some Grisaille Group compositions and the Group were based on the Master's engrav- l3nder, ENP, III, Pl. 86), Lazarus and Jesus St. Thomas Altarpiece of 1424 by the Master ings, Der Meister der Liebesgärten,ein Beitrag look in different directions. The treatment Francke; see Otto P?cht, 'Meister Francke- zur Geschichtedes altesten Kupferstichsin den of the upper portion of Lazarus' body, how- Probleme,' jahrbuch der Hamburger Klttlst- Niederlanden, Leipzig, 1893, 17-22; this ever, recalls Geertgen's panel. sammlurvgen,XIV-XV, 1970, 77-78. opinion he revised in Geschichteund Kritischer Katalog des deutschen, niederländischenund ' to the heads of im XV. 4 According Frlcdldndcr, 22 Bibl. MS 9249-50. 'I'he französischenKup_ferstich Jahrhundert, and St. were Brussels, roy., 305-26. See Hint- Jesus John clumsily restored, Miroir was translated and executed in the Vicnna, 1908, I, also J. D. 19. the difference in size 'De Noord-Nederlandsche en ENP, V, Though studio of see C. and F. zen, grisaillcs between the miniature and the Jean Mielot; Gaspar dc 'Meister der panel prohi- Les manuscrits de Liebesgarten,' Ourlheidknnrlig bits the of or direct Lyna, principau.x à peintures 178-83. For the possibility tracing any la de Jaarboek, II, 1922, proposi- the have Bibliothèque royale Belgique, Paris, tion that both and miniatures copy process, original design might 1937-47, III, 468-86. engravings been cnlargcd or freely copied. look back to a common prototype, see I3yvanck, La Miniature, 75; Hoogewerff, z3 the Christ Before 15 I have examined other mid-fifteenth cen- Principally, Betrayal, Noord-Nederlandscheschilderkunst, II, 330; M. the and the of tury Dutch and Flemish miniatures of The Pilate, Flagellation, Bearing Geisberg, Die Anfängedes Kupferstichs(Meis- the Cross. The Miroir illustrations Raising of Lazarus too numerous to list probably ter der Graphik, II) Leipzig, 1923, 71; 1. on a which here, and to date have found none with any depend popular prototype, may Schuler, Der Meister der Liebes?iirterr, have been a set of see n. 30 be- similarity to this compositional prototype. engravings, Amsterdam-Leipzig, n.d. and Mar- low. For comparison with reproduced examples, row, Art Bulletin, 1978, 609. see, for instance, Gotha, Landesbibliothek, z4 31 MS II. 137, fol. 10v, repro. Edith Rothe, On the use of model sheets and the model Especially woodcuts in the Vita et Passio Medieval Book Illumination in Europe, Lon- book tradition see R. W. Scheller, A Survey Domini cum Orationihus;see W. L. Schreiber, don, 1966, Pl. 85; Berlin, Kupferstichkabi- of Medieval Model Books, Haarlem, 1963; Manual de la gravure sur bois et sur metal au nett, Hamilton Collection, MS 437, fol. 9, Hellmut Lehmann-Haupt, ed., The Gott- XVe siècle,Berlin, 1911, VIII, passim; see also repro. Friedrich Winkler, 'Simon Marmion ingen Model Book, Columbia, Missouri, Fiero, 'Devotional Illumination,' 228-47. als Miniaturmaler,' Jahrbuch der preussischen 1972; A. H. van Buren and Sheila Edmunds, 3z Kunstsammlungm)II, 1913, fig. 20; New 'Playing Cards and Manuscripts: Some See Fiero, The Courier, 1976, 3-27; and York, Pierpont Morgan Library, MS 868, Widely Disseminated Fifteenth-Century n. 22 above. fol. 23, repro. W. H. Beuken and J. H. Mar- Model Sheets,' Art Bulletin, LVI, 1974, 33 row, Spieqel van den leven ons Heren, 12-30; Janet Backhouse, 'An Illuminator's Campbell Dodgson, Catalogue of Early Doortispijk/Hollaiid, 1979 (foliated facsi- Sketchbook,' The British Library journal, I, Germanand Flemish WoodcutsPreserved in the mile). 1975, 3-14; Sandra Hindman and J. D. Far- Departmento_f Prints and Drawings in the Brit- quhar, Pen to Press: IllustratedManuscripts and ish Museum, London, 1903, I, 209; for a table z Summarized in James Snyder, 'The Early Printed Booksin the First Century of Printing, of editions, see A. M. Hind, An Introduction Haarlem School of Painting, Part III: The Baltimorc, 1977, 78-81, 112-19; Marrow, to A History of Woodcut, New York, 1935 Problem of Geertgen tot Sint Jans and Jan Art Bulletin, 1978, 589-616. (reprint 1963), I, 236-40; on the Biblia Pau- 68

perum, the most up to date study with exten- Münster, Ill, 1950, 193-205. A miniature in Master, see idem, La Miniature, 76. In Mi6- sive bibliography is Elisabeth Soltcsz, Biblia a Dutch prayerbook of circa 1470 (Oxford, lot's Miroir (n. 23) there are miniatures that Pauperum, trans. Lili Halapy, Budapest, Bodleian, Auct. D. inf. 2.13, fol. 32v) shows show Grisaille Group figures along with or- 1967; also see n. 35 below. the saint in a landscape, but is otherwise namental animals (fols. 11, 38v, 41) found in unrelated to the panel. On the other hand, both the engravings of the Master of the 3a On the interchange of imagery between the configuration of St. James the Greater in Playing Cards and the borders of the Hours manuscript illumination and woodcuts, see meditation that appears in a number of late of Catherine of Cleves (pp. 29, 53). See Hoogewerff, Noord-NederlandscheSchilder- 15th century Flemish prayerbooks (e.g., Ox- Fiero, 'Devotional Illumination,' 222-25, kurtst, I, 538-39, Figs. 298-99; Gertrud ford, Bodleian, MS Douce 256, fol. 176) is 287. Bing, 'The Apocalypse Block-Books and almost identical with that of Geertgen's St. their Manuscript Models,' Journalof the War- John. 41 Paul Philippot, 'La fin du XVe siecleet les burg and Courtauld Institutes, V, 1942, origines d'une nouvelle conception de 143-58; Marrow, 'Dutch Manuscript Illu- See n. 7 above. The Brussels version is not 1'image dans la peinture des Pays-Bas,' Bulle- mination Before the Master of Catherine of identical with the Hannover miniature. tin des Muséesroyaux des beaux-artsde Belgique Cleves: The Master of the Morgan Infancy (Bruxelles), II, 1962, 20. 3a Cycle', Nederlands KunsthistorischJaarboek, (45 x 31 cm) No. 346 in Philadelphia 42 XIX, 1968, 104-107; and Robert G. Cal- Museum of Art, John G. Johnson Collection, In comparing the two artists' versions of kins, 'Parallels between Incunabula and Catalogueof Flemishand Dutch Paintings,Phi- the Raising of Lazarus, Snyder found 'little Manuscripts from the Circle of the Master ladelphia, 1972, 41, where it is attributed to positive evidence' of a master-pupil relation- of Catherine of Cleves,' Oud Holland, a follower of Geertgen tot Sint Jans (other ship, Art Bulletin, 1960, 117. More recently LXCII, 1978, 137-60. attributions listed). The panel has been dated Diane Scillia argued that Geertgen may not as late as 1490, Friedlander, ENP, V, 79. have been trained by Ouwater, Art Bulletin, 35 Robert Koch argues that the 40 page Also see the panel of the same subject by the 1978, 271-73. blockbook of the Biblia Pauperummust have Master of 1445 in Basle, Offentliche Kunst- 43 appeared in or just before 1460, the date of sammlung, repro. Fritz Burger, Die Deutsche The function of the architecture in unify- its earliest reproduction in manuscript illu- Malerei vom ausgehendenMittelalter bis zum ing the figures is better understood when mination, 'New Criteria for Dating the Ende der Renaissance,Berlin, 1919, Vol. III, one covers the upper one-third of the paint- Netherlandish Biblia Pauperum,' Studies in fig. 30. ing. Late Medieval and Renaissance Painting in 39 44 Horaorof Millard Meiss, ed. I. Lavin and J. New York, Pierpont Morgan Library, This practice was observed by Fried- Plummer, New York, 1977, I, 283-89, II, MS 866, fol. 150, repro. Marrow, Nederlands landcr, who noted some of Geertgen's bor- pls. 98-100. For a review of the earlier argu- Kunstlvistoriscl2jaarboek, 1968, fig. 35. The rowings from Rogier van der Weyden and ments on dating, see Soltesz, Biblia Pau- other two miniatures are in manuscripts in Hugo van de Goes, C7VP,V, 14-15. Peter perum, vii-ix. the same collection: MS 87, fol. 410v, repro. Schabacker suggested Geertgen's depen- Delaisse, Dutch Manuscript Illumination,fig. dence on a model for his Holy Kindred pan- 36 The case for a compositional Urbild for 25; and MS 917, p. 279 (Fig. 7). el in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Oud Geertgen's small panel of St. John the Bap- Holland, 1975, 225-42. tist in the 'Wilderness (Berlin-Dahlem, 4° Colored miniatures by the Master of a5 Gemaldegalerie der Staatlichen Museen) is Catherine of Cleves are included in the Lcy- See Sixten Ringbom, Icon to Miniature. argued by Wolfgang Kr6nig, who finds den praycrbook of the Grisaillc Group; see The Rise of the Dramatic Close-up in Fifteenth prototypes in engravings by the Master of Byvanck, 'Noord-Nederlandsche Minia- Century Devotional Painting, Abo, 1965, John the Baptist and the Master E S; see turcn,' 230-39. For the relationship between 53-58; and Philippot, Bulletin des Musées, 'Geertgens Bild Johannes' des Taufers,' Das the Grisaillc Group Master and the Cleves 1962, 23-24.