Examples of Patronage in the Traite Du Blason
As a manuscript, the Traite du Blason lends itself especially well to modification. Like Books of Hours, Prinsault’s text can be assembled to suit its patron’s interests. Although often copied with a subsequent armorial, it can also be bound with other texts, such as in MS 3711, which includes not only Prinsault’s text and an extensive armorial but a collection of short, lesser-known works on heraldry. Alternatively, the text is often expanded and elaborated upon. In Fr. 14357, there is a distinct emphasis on animals in heraldry, with sections on this topic either enlarged or added at the end.
Fr. 14357 in particular shows the influence of its patron, because it contains a luxurious full-page dedicatory illumination of Charles VIII in full royal regalia, surrounded by the arms of various territories he ruled (d’Arcq 1858, 270). While it is not altogether certain that Charles owned this copy, the sumptuous quality and concern with Charles’ depiction indicate that the copy was at least owned by one of Charles’ wealthier and more devoted retainers. Interestingly, the following page bears not only Charles VIII’s arms, but also those of Pope Innocent VIII (d’Arcq 1858, 270). Innocent and Charles had their most historic exchange in 1489, when Innocent VIII, facing political opposition from Ferdinand I of Naples, invited Charles VIII to claim the throne of Naples by force. Charles’ campaign failed, but, as Innocent died in 1492, two years before Charles accepted failure, this copy represents higher hopes. Notably, despite the long list of shields in the armorial, Naples (nor the Kingdom of Sicily, of which it was a part) is nowhere to be found, anticipating Charles’ victory. These features, or lack thereof, indicate that the patron had a vested interest in the event. If the book were indeed made for Charles VIII, it is possible that it was commissioned as a gift to commemorate the partnership between the Pope and himself. Certainly, the luxurious design and the central focus on Charles VIII would have been interests of the patron if this were his purpose.
Other copies of the Traite du Blason emphasize their patrons’ concerns, if not on such a historic scale. For instance, Fr. 18651 is dedicated to the House of Bioncourt with a heartfelt note: “These are the arms of Bioncourt; you will take them over the world with honesty; for as long as I hate hatred, I do not let them do it at all...[illegible]; May God be pleased with you and the good wine that I drink in your house.” Ironically, the House of Bioncourt died out by the beginning of the 16th century, yet the purpose of the book may still be interpreted. Toward the end of the 15th century, when this copy was made, the Bioncourt land was under significant duress, torn between the Duchy of Lorraine and the Duchy of Burgundy, which both made claims upon it. During a time when their honor was in shambles, their family was dying out, and their enemies claimed their land, this book of coats of arms stands as a proud little symbol of Bioncourt’s nobility.