Matthew Paris - Knowledge (XXG)

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well-connected monk may have given him more confidence in creating new compositions, whereas a lay artist would prefer to stick to traditional formulae. It may also reflect the lack of full training in the art of the period. His colouring emphasises green and blue, and together with his characteristic layout of a picture in the top half of a page, is relatively distinctive. What are probably his final sketches are found in

1946: 440: 1929: 1911: 1893: 1875: 1857: 1839: 1821: 1803: 1785: 1767: 664:, ca. 1178. The manuscript also contains notes in Paris's hand (see above) showing that his manuscripts were lent to various aristocratic ladies for periods, and that he probably acted as an intermediary between commissioners of manuscripts and the (probably) lay artists who produced them, advising on the calendars and iconography. 547:, covering the years 1254–1259 (folios 157–218), and prefatory material including an itinerary from London to Jerusalem and tinted drawings of the kings of England. All is in Paris's own hand, apart from folios 210–218 and 154v–156v, which are in the hand of the scribe who has added a note of Matthew Paris's death (f. 218v). The 259: 476:, MSS 26 and 16, 362 × 244/248 mm. ff 141 + 281, composed 1240–53. His major historical work (see below), but less heavily illustrated per page than others. These two volumes contain annals from the creation of the world up to the year 1253. The content up to 1234 or 1235 is based in the main on Roger of Wendover's 610:(the lives of the first 23 abbots of St Albans with a miniature portrait of each), coats of arms, as well as a large number copies of original documents such as letters. The from-life original version of his well-known drawing of an elephant is in this volume, as is a large drawing of Christ, not by Paris. 919:

Paris's style suggests that it was formed by works from around 1200. He was somewhat old-fashioned in retaining a roundness in his figures, rather than adopting the thin angularity of most of his artist contemporaries, especially those in London. His compositions are very inventive; his position as a

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contain multiple texts and often begin with a large assortment of prefatory material, often including full-page miniatures. Some have survived incomplete, and the various elements now bound together may not have been intended to be so by Paris. Unless stated otherwise, all were given by Paris to his

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In some of Paris's manuscripts, a framed miniature occupies the upper half of the page, and in others, they are "marginal" – unframed and occupying the bottom quarter (approximately) of the page. Tinted drawings were an established style well before Paris, and became especially popular in the first

523:. It was apparently started there, copying another MS of Paris's text that went up to 1240. Later it was sent back to the author for him to update; Richard Vaughan argues this was in 1251–2. The illustrations are similar to Paris's style but not by him. Later additions took the chronicle up to 1327. 735:

are of different sizes, and written by different scribes, neither of them Paris himself, so they are not likely to be part of the manuscript that Paris wrote of having lent to the Countess of Arundel; but that, "to judge from the script and the style of illumination" they are "very close copies of

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Recent scholarship, notably that of Nigel Morgan, suggests that Paris's influence on other artists of the period has been exaggerated. This is likely because so much more is known about him than other English illuminators of the period, who are mostly anonymous. Most manuscripts seem to have been

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in 1217. It is on the assumption that he was in his teens on admission that his birth date is estimated; some scholars suspect he may have been ten years or older; many monks only entered monastic life after pursuing a career in the world outside. He was clearly at ease with the nobility and even

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charting the route from London to Rome in graphic form. A sequence of pictures of towns on the route marked the terminus of each day's travel, enabling the viewer to envisage and follow the whole journey rather like a comic strip – an achievement unprecedented elsewhere in the medieval world.

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The king knew that Paris was writing a history, and wanted it to be as exact as possible. In 1257, in the course of a week's visit to St Albans, Henry kept the chronicler beside him night and day, "and guided my pen," says Paris, "with much goodwill and diligence." It is curious that the

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is a renowned Medieval work, in many cases being a key source for mid-13th century Europe, partially due to his verbose insertion of personal opinions into his narrative and his use of sources such as records, letters, and conversations with witnesses to events including the English king

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dropped his pen, Paris continued the history on the plan which his predecessors had followed. He derived much of his information from the letters of important people, which he sometimes inserts, but much more from conversations with the eyewitnesses of events. Among his informants were

761:, Bishop of Chichester, and other materials including from Paris's own histories. A 14th-century copy of the prose life has survived in British Library Cotton MS Julius D VI, folios 123–156v. One copy of the verse life that was in Cotton MS Vitellius D VIII was destroyed in the 1843: 915:

is shown with a clerical tonsure, but he was married, which suggests he had minor orders only. The manuscripts produced by Paris show few signs of collaboration, but art historians detect a School of St Albans surviving after Paris's death, influenced by him.

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half of the 13th century. They were certainly much cheaper and quicker than fully painted illuminations. The tradition of tinted drawings or outline drawings with ink supplemented by coloured wash was distinctively English, dating back to the

965:, which shows that the writer understood the danger which he ran. On the other hand, unexpurgated copies were made in Paris's lifetime. Although the offending passages are duly omitted or softened in his abridgement of his longer work, the 594:. British Library Cotton MS Vitellius A XX, folios 77r–108v. Covers from 1066 to 1246. Written at some point between 1246 and 1259. Not definitely by Paris, but evidently written under his supervision, with some of the text in his own hand. 677:

MS. Ee.3.59. This is the only surviving copy of this work, but is believed to be a slightly later copy made in London, probably by court artists, of Paris's text and framed illustrations. Based on the Latin Life of Edward the Confessor by

480:, with additions; after that date, the material is Paris's own, and written in his own hand from the annal for 1213 onward. There are 100 marginal drawings (25 + 75), some fragmentary maps and an itinerary, and full-page drawings of 1861: 206:. He authored a number of historical works, many of which he scribed and illuminated himself, typically in drawings partly coloured with watercolour washes, sometimes called "tinted drawings". Some were written in Latin, others in 529:. British Library, Royal MS 14 C VII, fols. 8v–156v. 358 × 250 mm, ff 232 in all. A history of England, begun in 1250 and perhaps completed around 1255, covering the years 1070–1253. The text is an abridgement of the 286:

royalty, which may indicate that he came from a family of some status, although it also seems an indication of his personality. His life was mainly spent in this religious house. In 1248, Paris was sent to

1825: 1879: 567:. The fact that the book was acquired by a 16th-century Earl of Arundel suggests that Duke Humphrey's inscription was not entirely accurate, as New College would probably not have disposed of it. 378:

The Dublin MS (see below) contains interesting notes, which shed light on Paris's involvement in other manuscripts, and on the way his own were used. They are in French and in his handwriting:

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The lending of his manuscripts to aristocratic households, apparently for periods of weeks or months at a time, suggests why he made several different illustrated versions of his Chronicle.

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Apart from these missions, his known activities were devoted to the composition of history, a pursuit for which the monks of St Albans had long been famous. He inherited the mantle of

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was thus not only useful to readers of Paris's time, and has been used by modern historians as a source document for the period between 1235 and 1259. While this makes Paris's

2282: 1933: 749:, Archbishop of Canterbury from 1233 to 1240. Based on Paris's own Latin prose life of Rich, composed in the late 1240s, which drew on a collection of materials made at 515:, MS 6712. Only part of the text, covering 1241 to 1249, is in Paris's hand, though he is credited with the authorship of the whole text, which is an abridgement of the 2176: 1404: 1378: 841:

has been attributed to Paris, presumably dating from his visit in 1248. Local paintings are usually on pine, so he may have brought this with him, or sent it later.

688: 375:, over 20 copies were made. Paris also is known for his illustrations and cartographic ability, often found as marginalia however sometimes being given full pages. 1293: 992:

The most developed of Matthew Paris's four maps of Britain (Cotton MS Claudius D VI, fol. 12v). The work is organised around a central north–south itinerary from

336:, at that time the abbey's foremost chronicler, after Wendover's death in 1236. Paris revised Wendover's work, a chronicle covering Creation to 1235 known as the 1897: 1530: 1966: 1072:

edited by Luard (3 vols., Rolls series, 1890). This work, compiled by various hands, is an edition of Matthew Paris, with continuations extending to 1326.

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In spite of his surname and knowledge of the French language, Paris was of English birth, and is believed by some chroniclers to be of the Paris family of

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Naturalists have praised his descriptions of the English wildlife of his time, brief though they are: in particular his valuable description of the first

969:(written about 1253), Paris's real feelings must have been an open secret. There is no ground for the old theory that he was an official historiographer. 2267: 1301: 1961: 353:

currently his most famous work, within the first few hundred years after Paris's death this was not the case. Paris scribed 2 major abridgements of his

895: 849: 2332: 799:), birds, tables and diagrams of geomantic significance. Several later copies of the text and illustrations survive. Provenance before 1602 unknown. 1538: 814:

are all accepted as by Paris. The main text is a chronicle, highly derivative of Paris's. This was John's property, left to his final monastery at

1323: 2327: 2322: 2312: 1998: 1625: 1501: 900: 563:, who wrote a note that if the monks of St Albans could prove the book was a loan, they should have it back. Otherwise, it was bequeathed to 191: 519:

with additions from the annals of Reading and of Southwark. Additional interpolations to the text make it clear the volume was created for

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monastery (from some inscriptions it seems they were regarded as his property to dispose of). The monastic libraries were broken up at the

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It is presumed the last relates to Paris acting as commissioning agent and iconographical consultant for the Countess with another artist.

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supposes that Paris never intended his work to be read in its present form. Many passages of the autograph have written next to them, the

612: 342:, and added new material of an annalistic nature from 1236 onwards which Paris sustained until his death in 1259. This work, known as the 242:, a number of English bishops, and many others. Modern historians recognise Paris's biases. He often tended to glorify Holy Roman Emperor 2337: 497:

in the British Library volume below. An unillustrated copy of the material from 1189 to 1250, with much of his sharper commentary about

250:, Paris displays a highly negative view of Frederick, going as far as to describe him as a "tyrant" who "committed disgraceful crimes". 2307: 2287: 281:, however this is simply conjecture. The first we know of Matthew Paris (from his own writings) is that he was admitted as a monk to 2112: 1717: 473: 458: 404:"In the Countess of Winchester's book let there be a pair of images on each page thus": (verses follow describing thirteen saints) 2277: 2252: 2049: 577:), British Library Cotton MS Claudius D VI, fols. 5–100. Another shortened history, mainly covering 1067 to 1253. Probably begun 243: 1517: 1479: 1466: 1365: 1353: 1244: 1129: 278: 246:

and denigrate the pope, expressing strong criticism of centralised church authority and at times royal power. However, in his

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Art Bulletin article on his maps;Imagined Pilgrimage in the Itinerary Maps of Matthew Paris. 12/1/1999 by Connolly, Daniel K

1245:"Matthew Paris, Chronica maiora (2r-393r), incorporating St Godric's hymn to the Blessed Virgin Mary (150v: Boffey 2988)..." 2247: 1408: 1382: 1030: 807: 803: 501:

toned down or removed, was supervised by Paris himself and now exists as British Library Cotton MS Nero D V, fol. 162–393.

1807: 2257: 1094: 810:, another monk of St Albans, who also probably did some drawings. A portrait of John, a map of the British Isles, and a 674: 584:, it remained unfinished at Paris's death. Illustrated with thirty-three seated figures of English kings illustrating a 552: 551:

concludes with a portrait of Paris on his death-bed, presumably not by him. By the 15th century this volume belonged to

325: 2272: 1957: 1194: 428:. These MSS seem to have been appreciated, and were quickly collected by bibliophiles. Many of his manuscripts in the 703:, British Library, Loan MS 88 – Four leaves (the "Becket Leaves") survive from a French-verse history of the life of 312: 298:; he made himself so agreeable to the Norwegian sovereign that he was invited to superintend the reformation of the 1677:

Atkinson, Robert (1874). "Strictures on Mr. Luard's Edition of a French Poem on the Life of Edward the Confessor".

1093:(the History of Saint Edward the King), which survives in a beautifully illuminated manuscript version, Cambridge, 873: 783:, Oxford, Ms. Ashmole 304, 176 × 128 mm, ff72. Many illustrations: author portraits (many of ancient Greeks – 50: 1110: 940: 1155: 2292: 1080: 806:(the Younger), British Library, MS Cotton Julius D VII, 188 × 130 mm, ff. 134. 1247–58. Mostly scribed by 2302: 1214: 1182:

Crusade and Christendom: Annotated Documents in Translation from Innocent III to the Fall of Acre, 1187–1291

858: 638: 621: 299: 641:, Ms 177 (former Ms E.I.40) 77 ff with 54 miniatures, mostly half-page. 240 × 165 mm. Also contains a 1063: 215: 195: 2066: 2043: 1087: 758: 754: 207: 1331: 1180:

Matthew Paris, 'Matthew Paris on Staufer Italy'. In Jessalyn Bird, Edward Peters, and James M. Powell,

1281: 988: 712: 2237: 2232: 958: 944: 922: 669: 661: 602: 512: 498: 481: 448: 390: 321: 231: 997: 649: 564: 556: 394: 295: 282: 235: 199: 177: 371:, was copied multiple times and at multiple places and within 250 years of the writing of Paris's 2153: 2026: 1686: 1076: 1068: 912: 838: 776: 679: 507: 444: 363: 338: 291: 262: 151: 1643:"A Medieval Manuscript in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction: Regarding Cambridge MS. Ee. 3. 59" 559:, who inscribed it "Ceste livre est a moy Homffrey Duc de Gloucestre". Later it was held by the 385:"G, please send to the Lady Countess of Arundel, Isabel, that she is to send you the book about 2108: 1994: 1713: 1621: 1497: 1098: 1034: 1009: 935: 834: 811: 560: 520: 333: 2177:

Stanford Digitized texts – Works by and about Paris, including Vaughan etc, in huge pdf files

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MS. Ee.3.59. The manuscript has had a varied publication history. Sections were printed in

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Fully annotated copy of Matthew Paris's Claudius Map, with translations and transcriptions

2152:. Division B, II: The History of the Jewish People. World Union of Jewish Studies: 61–68. 1844:

Matthew Paris, Abbreuiatio chronicorum, AD 1000–1255 (13th C) - BL Cotton MS Claudius D VI

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Colin Richmond (1992). "Englishness and Medieval Anglo-Jewry". In Kushner, Tony (ed.).

1118: 993: 973: 885: 762: 750: 716: 433: 274: 168: 83: 31: 2217: 2095: 2226: 2030: 1952: 1748: 1706: 1614: 1005: 1001: 766: 704: 699: 386: 203: 106: 2212: 2192: 2042: 1431: 2022: 1106: 1048: 724: 600:. British Library Cotton MS Nero D I, ff 202 in all, contains maps, the illustrated 1198: 876:

of the period. A strong influence on one branch of the style was the Carolingian

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Matthew Paris's Jerusalem pilgrim's travel guide: information, zoomable image

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Benin, Stephen D; והיהודים, מתיאו פריס (1989). "Matthew Paris and the Jews".

2139: 1114: 815: 588:. It also contains the most developed of Paris's four maps of Great Britain. 585: 306: 239: 2009:

Weiler, Björn (3 January 2012). "Matthew Paris on the writing of history".

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From Text(s) to Book(s): Studies in the Production and Editorial Processes

1379:"Itinerary From London To Chambery, In Matthew Paris' 'Book Of Additions'" 1862:

Matthew Paris, Liber Additamentorum (13th-14th C) - BL Cotton MS Nero D I

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Menache, Sophia (1997). "Matthew Paris's attitudes toward Anglo-Jewry".

1690: 1125:, and the whole manuscript has been digitalized and can be seen online. 1494:

Matthieu Paris, Le Moine et le Hasard: Bodleian Library, MS Ashmole 304

484:. MS 16 has very recently had all prefatory matter re-bound separately. 398: 2181: 792: 277:. He may have studied at Paris in his youth after early education at 2123: 2059: 1642: 1016:

Outstanding among his other maps were (four versions of) a pilgrim

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One of the "Becket Leaves", if not by Paris, certainly in his style

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Self-portrait of Matthew Paris from the original manuscript of his

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This article incorporates text from a publication now in the

1645:. In Collé-Bak, Nathalie; Latham, Monica; Ten Eyck, David (eds.). 987: 894: 788: 687: 611: 438: 311: 258: 257: 1222: 2198:

Latin Chroniclers from the Eleventh to the Thirteenth Centuries:

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The relation of Matthew Paris's work to those of John de Celia (

1649:. Nancy: Editions Universitaires de Lorraine. pp. 169–179. 1563:, Royal Academy/Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London 1987, Cat 311 1271:, Royal Academy/Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London 1987, Cat 437 1559:

Nigel Morgan in: Jonathan Alexander & Paul Binski (eds),

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Nigel Morgan in: Jonathan Alexander & Paul Binski (eds),

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from about 1000 to 1640. This was copied in the 1020s in the

1405:"Matthew Paris' "Lives of the Offas", Christ of Revelations" 853:

Framed tinted drawing of Heraclius taking down the head of

493:, from 1254 until Paris's death in 1259, is bound with the 2213:

Life of St Edward the Confessor, Cambridge Digital Library

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On Matthew Paris' attitudes to the Anglo-Jewish community

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The Cambridge History of English and American Literature

765:; but another copy was discovered in the early 1900s at 727:. Vaughan had previously noted that the leaves from the 1880:

Dublin, Trinity College, MS E. I. 40, Life of St._Alban

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gives so unfavourable an account of the king's policy.

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For the British newspaper columnist and former MP, see

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Age of Chivalry, Art in Plantagenet England, 1200–1400

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Age of Chivalry, Art in Plantagenet England, 1200–1400

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in 1198. The illuminations are attributed to Paris by

2124:"The Jewish Minority in Mediaeval England, 1066-1290" 1790:

Chronica Majora part 2 (Matthew Paris) - Parker MS 16

1772:

Chronica Majora part 1 (Matthew Paris) - Parker MS 26

648:, and various other works relating to the history of 214:

verse. He is sometimes confused with the nonexistent

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13th-century English monk, historian, and illustrator

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Historia Anglorum (1250–1259) - BL Royal MS 14 C VII

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