Master of the Bible of Jean de Sy
Artists
Active in Paris c. 1350-1380, this artist illuminated manuscripts for Philip the Bold’s father, King John II of France, and brother, King Charles V of France. He is named after a copy of Jean de Sy’s French translation of the Bible begun in 1355 for John II (Paris, BnF, MS fr. 15397). The artist was formerly known as the Boquetaux Master because of the clustered trees found in his miniatures, but they also feature in works by other Parisian illuminators during the third quarter of the 14th century. The only page in the Grandes Heures illuminated by the Master of the Bible of Jean de Sy contains the Annunciation, the first of the ten large miniatures painted during the original campaign (fol. 13r). It displays the artist’s characteristic palette, painting technique, balanced compositions, elegant figures and intense facial expressions.
Annunciation with Philip the Bold’s portrait and arms (Hours of the Virgin, Matins)
The manuscript’s patron, Philip the Bold, is shown in prayer within the historiated initial beneath the Annunciation miniature. The bas-de-page scene preserves faint traces of the arms of Burgundy supported by lions. The images on this page are the only contribution the Master of the Bible of Jean de Sy made to the manuscript. The Annunciation displays the salient features of his work: a balanced composition with spatially conceived architecture; dainty figures, small in proportion to the overall picture space; elegant drapery with peculiar patterns, including cascading serpentine- or pretzel-like hems and deep, V-shaped folds resembling pouches; vigorous, yet courtly gestures; powerful, though controlled facial expressions; carefully blended flesh tones; a sophisticated palette, contrasting bold orange and saturated blue with pastel green, grey, pink and violet; extensive underdrawing; and a subtle painting technique, combining directional strokes with tiny dots.
The application of the red glaze over the gold fleurs-de-lis background is continuous with the shading on the left side of the loggia and emphasizes the three-dimensional effect not simply by means of geometry, but by simulating the play of light and shadow on different surfaces and fabrics.