L'Histoire de la belle Mélusine de Jean d'Arras

Between 1392 and 1394, the bibliophile Duc Jean de Berry (1340–1416) and his sister Marie de France (1344–1404) commissioned Jean d'Arras (fl. 1392–1394) to write a French prose novel about the mythical water fairy Mélusine, who had been the subject of numerous folk legends since the 12th century. In his version, the author transforms the fantastical myths into a genealogical love story set in the courtly world of the 14th century, richly sprinkled with wondrous fable elements. L'Histoire de la belle Mélusine de Jean d'Arras spread in numerous manuscripts and was first published in print in August 1478 by the Geneva printer Adam Steinschaber. It features 63 beautifully colored woodcuts that artfully illuminate the captivating story. For the printing, he used Italian Gothic movable type that he had brought with him from a journey to Italy. This makes the edition one of the earliest illustrated prints in French and a fascinating testimony to the establishment of the art of printing in Europe.