Frontispiece Miniature from the Manuscript of a Poem by Guillaume Crétin: Debate Between Two Women
c. 1537–1540
Medium
ink, tempera, and liquid gold on vellum
Dimensions
27.1 × 20.1 cm
Classification
Manuscript
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
John L. Severance Fund
Accession Number
1991.157
Tags
About this artwork
This leaf is one of four surviving miniatures from the only known illuminated manuscript of the poem Débat entre deux dames sur le passetemps des chiens et oyseaux by Guillaume Crétin. The poem takes the form of a debate between two women, represented here, who argue at length as to the relative merits of hunting with falcons versus hunting with dogs. The volume was likely made as a presentation copy or gift for King Francis I (1515-1547). This artist is known to have painted many miniatures for...
About the Artist
Master of Francis I (French)
Georges Hugnet (1906–1974) was a multifaceted French artist, poet, writer, and critic whose innovative collages and graphic works bridged Dada and Surrealism. Born in Paris on July 11, 1906, he spent much of his early childhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina, returning to France around 1913. His early life and artistic training remain sparsely documented, with no records of formal art school attendanc...