The Marvels of the World - The travels of Jean de Mandeville
The Marvels of the World - The travels of Jean de Mandeville
InquiryTHE JOURNEY OF KNIGHT JEAN DE MANDEVILLE
With consummate artistry, the 74 radiant miniatures depict the most fascinating and mysterious encounters of Knight Jean de Mandeville during his purportedly more than 30-year-long travels. The depictions range from the Holy Land to the Far East, bearing witness to the impressive imagination of an author who remains unknown to this day.
THE WONDERS OF THE EARTH
Throughout history, people have been drawn to the distant, the unknown, the exotic. What lay beyond the horizon was alluring, captivating, and sometimes threatening. Wonders and oddities in the lands of the Far East, the holy and the revered at the pilgrimage sites of the Near East—both were equally fascinating and unsettling.
THE TRAVELS OF KNIGHT JEAN DE MANDEVILLE
One book in particular satisfied this curiosity in the late Middle Ages in the West: The Travels of Knight Jean de Mandeville. In this work, supposedly written in 1357, readers learned what they wanted to know about the holy sites across the sea and the exotic regions at the edge of the known world. Written in Middle French, The Travels of Knight Jean de Mandeville became a bestseller and was quickly translated not only into Latin but also into many national languages, such as German, Spanish, Czech, and others.
For the people who read the book, there was no reason to doubt the worldly experiences of its supposed author. He identifies himself in the text: Jean de Mandeville, an English knight who set out in 1322 and only returned home in 1356, after traveling nearly all the countries of the world for thirty years.
To this day, it is not definitively known who is behind the pseudonym "Jean de Mandeville." It is possibly the Benedictine monk Jean d'Ypres (Jean le Long), to whom we also owe the translation of many 13th-century Latin texts into French, particularly those dealing with pilgrimage sites in the Near East and the wondrous lands of the Far East.
74 MINIATURES CAPTURING THE FASCINATION WITH THE ORIENT
In the Livre des merveilles ("Book of Wonders"), one of the most beautiful illuminated manuscripts created in the early 15th century—a time by no means poor in outstanding manuscripts—The Travels of Knight Jean de Mandeville occupies an important place alongside other significant works about the Far East. 74 captivating miniatures accompany the descriptions of the wonders of the earth. The fascinating text is laid out in two columns of 40 lines on 84 leaves of generous format (421 x 300 mm). Not a single page is without gold and vibrant colors. Each image offers the viewer new and fascinating glimpses into the wonders of the earth. The themes of the miniatures range from depictions of revered sites in the Holy Land to exotic scenes in the Far East.
74 MINIATURES BY THE HANDS OF GREAT MASTERS
This splendid codex, containing texts about the lands and wonders of the Near and Far East, was completed between January 1410 and no later than the end of 1412 in Paris for John the Fearless. Some of the most famous and talented book painters, such as the Master of Mazarine, the Master of Cité des Dames, and the Egerton Master, contributed to the book. With their innovation and craftsmanship, they were able to render the unusual imagery of the wonders of the earth—a subject for which there were practically no existing models—in a time when artists were striving for realistic representation and were beginning to explore the depiction of three-dimensional space.
IN THE HANDS OF GREAT BIBLIOPHILES
Political circumstances forced the Burgundian Duke John the Fearless to part with this masterpiece, gifting it to his uncle, John of Berry, for New Year 1413. The latter added his coat of arms to the manuscript, and it held a special place in his rich collection. His great-grandson, Jacques d'Armagnac, also had his marks added and commissioned the creation of one miniature. When the ill-fated prince was defeated by the king in 1476, the victors divided the spoils. The Book of Wonders likely passed into the hands of Charles d’Angoulême, and through his son, Francis I of France, it eventually became part of the royal library, forming the core of today’s French National Library. The magnificent manuscript is now preserved there under the signature Fr. 2810. After the Marco Polo portion of the manuscript was published as a facsimile two decades ago, The Travels of Knight Jean de Mandeville is now being made available to a wider audience.
Here is a link to our blog post: A Modern Travelogue from the Middle Ages
"Of distant wonders and secret travels—the Book of Miniatures unveils the world of dreams of a knight who made history."
Characteristics
The travels of Jean de Mandeville | |
| Creation Year | 1410 – 1412 |
| Place of Origin | Paris |
| Library | Paris, bibliotheque nacionale |
| Signature | Fr. 2810, Livre des merveilles, fol. 141-225 |
| Extent | 84 pages |
| Miniatures | 74 miniatures |
| Language | |
| Type of Manuscript | Travel literature |
| Genre | |
| Artist/Workshop | |
The Edition
The travels of Jean de Mandeville | |
| Format | 42cm x 30cm |
| Limitation | 980 numbered copies |
| Binding | Genuine leather binding with gold embossing. Two clasps. Both volumes in a case with gold embossing.
|
| Commentary Volume (Language) | Scholarly commentary volume |
| Publisher | Müller und Schindler |
| Item Number | 41038 |
Questions and Answers
The author calls himself Jean de Mandeville, an English knight. However, it remains unknown who truly hides behind this pseudonym. One theory suggests it might have been the Benedictine monk Jean d'Ypres.
The book contains 74 fascinating miniatures, crafted by talented manuscript painters, depicting the wonders of the Earth.
The work is said to have been written in 1357 and became popular because it satisfied readers' curiosity about exotic places and holy sites, which were little known at the time.
The miniatures visualize the wonders and exotic landscapes described in the text, showcasing the mastery of the manuscript painters who created realistic depictions, even when no visual references for these places existed.
After political upheavals, the book came into the possession of John, Duke of Berry, and later entered the royal library of France. Today, it is housed in the French National Library under the signature Fr. 2810.
The book significantly contributed to shaping the medieval worldview by offering insights into distant and unknown regions. It mixed facts with fiction, sparking the imagination of its readers, and for a long time, it was considered a credible source.
In the 15th century, manuscript painting became increasingly realistic, with a stronger focus on perspective and spatial depth. Artists began depicting light and shadow more naturally, giving their works a three-dimensional effect. Early Renaissance influences, especially from Italy, shaped these developments.
Travel accounts like Mandeville’s inspired later explorers and cartographers. They provided a fantastical view of the world and fueled the desire to explore distant lands. Even though many descriptions were exaggerated or inaccurate, they helped expand Europe’s geographic knowledge and stimulated curiosity about foreign cultures.
Marco Polo’s accounts are based on his actual travels and offer a relatively accurate overview of Asia in the 13th century, whereas Jean de Mandeville’s book is a blend of real information and fictional elements, often of a fantastical nature. Mandeville used legends and stories, while Marco Polo’s accounts were more grounded in real-life experiences.
In the Middle Ages, knowledge about the world was limited, and distant places seemed mysterious and full of wonders. The unfamiliarity and strangeness of these locations fueled people's imagination and curiosity. Additionally, religious beliefs and the desire for pilgrimage played a central role in the fascination with distant lands.
"The travel of Jean de Mandeville" is available through the Universal Art Group, which offers it as part of their commitment to disseminating culturally and historically significant works.
