Roman de la Rose Digital LibraryA New View of Medieval Manuscripts

Nadia Altschul and David ReynoldsThe Johns Hopkins Univesity

Material Philologyradically changed scope of research

• How does medieval “originality” work?

• Why do medievals introduce changes when copying someone else’s text?

• How do text and image interact?

• What is the meaning of variance?

• How does each exemplar interact with the social context of its production?

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The French Roman de la Rose:

• It was a best-seller

• Lavishly illustrated

• Some 300 surviving manuscripts

• Re-internationalizes Medieval Studies

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Danger:the most challenging and ambiguous character

“He was large and black, with bristly hair, and his eyes were as red as fire, his nose was flat, his face hideous”

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“Orientalized” Dangier

Morgan 948 f.32v Ferrell f.16r

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Dark-skinned “savage” Dangier

Morgan 948 f.144r Morgan 948 f.78r

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Uncouth and “animalized” Dangier

Douce 332 f.143r Douce 332 f.142r

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Development of Rose Site

• Phase 1, 1998-2005• Mellon Grant I, 2005-2007• Mellon Grant II, 2007-2008• Self-sustaining service, 2009-

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Narrative Sections

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