Beschreibung:

ROMAN DE RENART. Manuscript of 'Le Roman de Renart', a copy attributed to Dominique-Martin Méon, n.d. [before 1826]. In Old French. A fair copy in a single hand, with variant readings recorded in emendations, footnotes and occasional inserted leaves of a smaller size. In two columns, 730 pages, the majority 250 x 190mm and (from p.693) 250 x 160mm (later pagination). 19th-century half leather binding (the binding worn). Provenance : Lot 212 in the posthumous sale of Méon's collection, bought by Simier père; Bignon sale [possibly that of Jérôme Bignon, 8 January 1849] (information pasted on to front endpaper). Apparently a preparatory manuscript for Méon's edition, Le Roman du Renart. Publié d'après les manuscrits de la Bibliothèque du roi des 13e, 17e et 15e siècles (Paris: Treuttel and Würtz, 1826, 4 volumes). A bibliophile and conservateur at the Bibliothèque royale, D.- M. Méon (1749-1829) had already published editions of a number of the great texts of medieval French literature, including the Roman de la Rose (1814). The Roman de Renart is the French version of a widespread medieval cycle of stories originating in Lorraine and known in English as Reynard the Fox. The earliest treatments in French are attributed to Pierre de Saint-Cloud in the late 12th century.