Attribué au Groupe Jouvenel

Both hinged to the mount. The vellum has buckled and there are a number of creases throughout both sheets. The second sheet has glue stains verso which are also visible recto and they obscure the writing on the verso. Colours still remain strong and vibrant. Les deux accrochés au montage. Le vélin a gondolé et il y a quelques pliures sur les deux feuilles. La seconde feuille a des taches de colle au verso qui sont un peu visibles au recto et qui cachent un peu les écritures au verso. Les couleurs restent puissantes et vibrantes.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

These early, fascinating and outlandish miniatures, executed in watercolour on vellum, are from a manuscript entitled Les Merveilles du Monde ou Les Secrets de L'histoire naturelle.  The manuscript, of which several copies exist, consists of an imaginary geography of 56 countries of the world, presented in alphabetical order.

The Pierpont Morgan Library have a copy of the manuscript in their collection and the same two exotic compositions seen here, are also illustrated in the Morgan manuscript.¹  The Morgan attribute their copy to The Master of the Geneva Boccaccio, a member of the Jouvenel des Ursins Group, ca. 1460.  The scenes are described as Melos (a circular island) and Media (cave with wingless dragon), supposedly representing the islands of Greece (Milos) and Iran (Media).

Stylistically the Bacri miniatures are close in handling and technique to the Morgan miniatures and it is quite plausible that these were also executed by a member of the Jouvenel Group, active in Angers, ca. 1450.  For more information on the Morgan manuscript and the Jouvenel group see J. Plummer, The Last Flowering: French Painting in Manuscripts 1420-1530 from American Collections, 1982, pp. 32 & 33, no. 44. 

1. Pierpont Morgan Library (Inv. no.  - MS M. 461 fol. 57v)