MOLINET Jean [Roman de la Rose moralisé]. C’est le romant de la rose / moralisie cler et net / translate de rime en prose / par vostre humble molinet… [Au colophon :] … Imprime a paris pour Anthoine / Verard libraire marchant demourant a Paris / pres lhotel Dieu deuant la rue neufue nostre / Dame A lenseigne Saint Jejan leuangeliste / Ou au palais au premier pillier deva[n]t la chap- / pelle ou lon chante la Messe de messeigneurs les presidens.

Tchemerzine-Scheler, IV, p. 235 ; Brunet, II, 1177 ; Goff, R-315 ; Macfarlane, 186 ; Bourdillon, p. 64, X, and p. 193 ff. ; Brigitte Moreau, II, (1511), 170 ; BMC(Fr), p. 316 ; GW, X, Sp.371c ; Bechtel, M-441 ; Rothschild, 438.

The rare second edition  of the prose version of the courtly novel Roman de la Rose. 

This popular courtly love poem Le roman de la rose (Romance of the rose) was composed in two stages by Guillaume de Lorris, 1220s, and Jean de Meun, 1269–78. It is an allegorical account of the progress of a courtly love affair which became the most popular and influential of all medieval romances. In the hands of Jean de Meun, who continued de Lorris’s work, it assumed vast proportions and embraced almost every aspect of medieval life from predestination and optics, to the Franciscan controversy and the right way to deal with premature hair-loss. Part of the story was translated from its original Old French into Middle English as The Romaunt of the Rose, which had a great influence on English literature. Chaucer was familiar with the original French text. Although Chaucer never mentions Guillaume’s name, the  Roman de la Rose pervades all his poetry. The dream poems and love visions–The Book of the Duchess, The House of Fame, and, most of all, The Parliament of Foules–owe much to the Roman.

The present translation is due to the poet and musician Jean Molinet (1435-1507), one of the most famous chroniclers of his time who was employed by Charles the Bold and his daughter Mary of Burgundy. Molinet, who was at the same advisor to Philip the Fair, was the uncle of Jean Lemaire de Belges. The translation was made on request by Philippe of Cleve and saw the light at about 1500. 

Under his authorship the Roman de la Rose saw his content changed to a true manual of knightly courtship codifying the behaviour of the couples to become. 

Richly illustrated with 138 lovely woodcuts The first shows the translator Jean Molinet offering his work to his patron Philippe of Cleve, the remaining 137 cuts, placed throughout the text, are inspired by incunabula editions and depict various scenes in the life of lovers including interior views, enlaced couples, people reading, a scientist at his scriptorium, angels, gods, and a variety of allegories, just to name a few. 

Fine copy with  broad margines, richlyt bound by  Niedrée.

Provenance: Armand Bertin (cat. 1854, p. 54, n° 376).