Title

Book of the knight Zifar

Juan de Carrión [attributed to] [workshop of] (Documented in the last third of the 15th century)

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Object history

This manuscript was written around 1454-1474 for Henry IV, King of Castile (Bernis, 1996; Ruiz, 2004). Regarding its production, it is not entirely clear who could have been involved in it. In fact, Saulnier (1982) believes that Juan de Carrión himself made the folio of the frontispiece and others in the interior. However, Bosch (1989) affirms that four artists participated and disassociates Juan de Carrión from the manuscript. Planas (1996) maintains that there were six miniaturists involved in its preparation. Be that as it may, it seems that researchers are unanimous in affirming that it was a work directed by Juan de Carrión, whose presence is documented in Segovia.

It is known that it was commissioned by Henry IV because of the coat of arms on folio 1r. Subsequently, the codex was in the hands of Isabella I of Castile and, after her death, it is believed that it belonged to Count Chimay, Charles de Croy, because of the arms on the binding (Villaseñor, 2009). This count sold seventy-eight manuscripts to Margaret of Austria in 1511, at which time he may have acquired it, since it is mentioned in the inventory of 1526. Margaret of Austria gave it as a gift to her niece, Mary of Hungary, and it then passed to the library of the Dukes of Burgundy between 1577-1614. Thus, the manuscript remained in Brussels until 1796, when Napoleon took possession of it (Villaseñor, 2009). From then on, the codex remained in Paris to form part of the National Library of France (Rico, 1996).

Description

The Book of the Knight Zifar is a literary work dated between 1332-1333. Although there are doubts about the author, the archdeacon Ferrán Martínez has been identified as the author of the book (Hernández, 1978). The work relates the adventures of Zifar, a virtuous knight who, despite suffering multiple misfortunes, maintains his Christian faith and sense of duty. Zifar overcomes trials, faces dangers and rises socially, eventually becoming emperor. His son Roboán also plays a leading role in the story, following his father's example of virtue and bravery. The narrative uses allegory to teach values such as justice, faith and prudence.

Three copies of this book have been preserved: two in the National Library of Madrid and one in the National Library of France (Villaseñor, 2009). The Paris manuscript has 192 folios and 243 miniatures. The decoration surrounding the folios stands out, which is described by Planas (1996) as follows: "vegetal framework of naturalistic tendency that allows to recognize acanthus leaves and flowers of diverse types, where a real or imaginary fauna is distinguished accompanied by putti with indolent or obscene postures. All seasoned with touches of dots and gold leaf".

Locations

• Mid XV^th c. - ca. 1474

  private collection

  Henry IV of Castile, Segovia (Spain) *

• ca. 1474 - ca. 1504

  private collection

  Isabella I of Castile, Segovia (Spain) *

• ca. 1505 - ca. 1511

  private collection

  Charles de Croÿ, Brussels (Belgium) *

• ca. 1511 - Second quarter of the XVI^th c.

  palace

  Margaret of Austria palace, Malinas (Belgium)

• Second quarter of the XVI^th c.

  private collection

  Maria of Hungary, Turnhout (Belgium) *

• ca. 1796 - present

  library

  National Library of France, Paris (France)