Shepherds Purse: manuscript - Le Roman de la Rose

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The picture is from an illustrated edition of "Le Roman de la Rose", showing "The Vigilence of the Good Shepherd". There are a number of illuminated versions of this text dating from the 14th century and later. Although I haven't had a chance to track down the date of this particular work (Bodleian Library Ms. Douce 195, f.144) the artistic style and clothing suggests a later 15th century date. (Compare the style of the woman's headdress with that in Bibliotheque Nationale Paris, MS Lat. 873, which dates from the late 15th century.)

References

Chaucer, Geoffrey (trans. Nevill Coghill). 1986. The Canturbury Tales. Cresset Press, London.