Quest for the Holy Grail
One of the most beautiful copies of the French verse narrative "Li Contes del Graal" or "The Quest for the Holy Grail", which the author Chrétien de Troyes began as early as the end of the 12th century, was produced in France between 1450 and 1460. De Troyes fifth and last Arthurian novel tells the story of the young knight Perceval, who eventually becomes an Arthurian knight and Grail seeker, and skillfully combines courtly prose with the Christian mythology of the time. Over 50 enchanting miniatures make the adventurous journey with its incredible dangers visually tangible for the reader. In addition, elaborate initials and fantastic borders with brilliant details adorn the 32,000 verse text. This large-format jewel of literary history is now kept in the Bibliothèque Municipal of Dijon under the shelfmark Ms. 527.
Quest for the Holy Grail
The literary cycle with the mythical Holy Grail induced one of the most beautiful prose texts of all time. It is a French tale in verse by Chrétien de Troyes (ca. 1140 – ca. 1190). Unfortunately, the founder of the courtly romance was not able to personally finish the story of a youth who grew up in the solitude of the forest named Perceval, who became an Arthurian knight and Grail-seeker. Ca. 1220, it is presumed that several authors extended the already 9,000-verse work to an impressive 32,000 verses. The text consists of three parts, which are adorned by 50+ painting-like miniatures, rich initials, and a wealth of inviting bordures. Thanks to this opulent illumination, the 15th century manuscript is considered to be one of the most beautiful of the cycle.
The Adventures of Lancelot
In the three sections, de Troyes tells the story of the young knight Perceval, who began his journey in Camelot with other companions. On their way, they experienced unbelievable adventures and confronted great dangers. Thanks to the guidance of the Holy Grail, which lends them the necessary inner strength, they manage to bring an end to the fascinating journey. As a subplot, the French author tells the tale of the knight Gawain, who was the nephew of King Arthur.
A Courtly Romance with Christian Elements
De Troyes’ fifth and last Arthurian Romance can be considered an attempt to impregnate the genre of courtly romance with Christian elements and the legend of the Holy Grail. Thus, the otherwise chivalric and courtly virtues are Christianized and the knight is now God’s cavalier.
Codicology
- Alternative Titles
- Die Suche nach dem Heiligen Gral
Roman de la quête du Graal
Búsqueda del Santo Grial
Roman de Tristan en prose
Queste del Saint Graal
St. Graal - Size / Format
- 326 pages / 41.7 × 32.0 cm
- Origin
- France
- Date
- Ca. 1450–1460
- Epochs
- Style
- Genre
- Language
- Illustrations
- 40 masterful miniatures, numerous ornamental initials in red, blue, and gold as well as filigree floral borders
- Previous Owners
- Nicolas Moreau, Treasurer of France (1544–1619)
Jean-Baptiste François Jehannin de Chamblanc (1722–1797)
Quest for the Holy Grail
Sir Galahad Attacked by Assanon and Forty Knights
Arthurian legends were used to both instruct the medieval nobility on the Christian principles of chivalry as well as serving as a mirror for contemporary life. This miniature has been inserted into the relevant text and shows Sir Galahad fighting valiantly against overwhelming odds. Sir Galahad was renowned for being the purest and most gallant of all knights, so much so that Monty Python famously lured him into a castle full of 150 naughty, lusty virgins in need of a good spanking.

Quest for the Holy Grail
Scenes from Camelot
This codex begins fours scenes from King Arthur’s court at Camelot. It is a wonderful specimen of French illumination ca. 1500 as it transitioned between the Gothic and Renaissance styles. These interior scenes were created with a remarkable sense of perspective and utilize a wonderful palette of primary colors.
The upper scenes depict King Arthur and Queen Guinevere at a courtly feast attended by twelve kings and queens. In the lower-left scene, nuns present Galahad to be knighted by Lancelot, who is pictured to the right resting a sword upon the shoulder of the kneeling Galahad. The figures are all depicted in the fashion of late–15th century France: short tunics and tights for men, flowing dresses with long trains for women.

#1 Roman de la Quête du Graal
Language: Spanish
- Treatises / Secular Books
- Apocalypses / Beatus
- Astronomy / Astrology
- Bestiaries
- Bibles / Gospels
- Chronicles / History / Law
- Geography / Maps
- Saints' Lives
- Islam / Oriental
- Judaism / Hebrew
- Single Leaf Collections
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Literature / Poetry
- Liturgical Manuscripts
- Medicine / Botany / Alchemy
- Music
- Mythology / Prophecies
- Psalters
- Other Religious Books
- Games / Hunting
- Private Devotion Books
- Other Genres
- Afghanistan
- Armenia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Colombia
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- France
- Germany
- Hungary
- India
- Iran
- Iraq
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Luxembourg
- Mexico
- Morocco
- Netherlands
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- Serbia
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Syria
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uzbekistan
- Aboca Museum
- Ajuntament de Valencia
- Akademie Verlag
- Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA)
- Aldo Ausilio Editore - Bottega d’Erasmo
- Alecto Historical Editions
- Alkuin Verlag
- Almqvist & Wiksell
- Amilcare Pizzi
- Andreas & Andreas Verlagsbuchhandlung
- Archiv Verlag
- Archivi Edizioni
- Arnold Verlag
- ARS
- Ars Magna
- ArtCodex
- AyN Ediciones
- Azimuth Editions
- Bärenreiter-Verlag
- Belser Verlag
- Belser Verlag / WK Wertkontor
- Benziger Verlag
- Bernardinum Wydawnictwo
- BiblioGemma
- Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana (Vaticanstadt, Vaticanstadt)
- Bibliotheca Palatina Faksimile Verlag
- Bibliotheca Rara
- Boydell & Brewer
- Bramante Edizioni
- Brepols Publishers
- British Library
- C. Weckesser
- Caixa Catalunya
- Canesi
- CAPSA, Ars Scriptoria
- Caratzas Brothers, Publishers
- Carus Verlag
- Circulo Cientifico
- Club Bibliófilo Versol
- CM Editores
- Collegium Graphicum
- Collezione Apocrifa Da Vinci
- Comissão Nacional para as Comemorações dos Descobrimentos Portugueses
- Coron Verlag
- CTHS
- D. S. Brewer
- De Agostini/UTET
- De Schutter
- Deuschle & Stemmle
- Deutscher Verlag für Kunstwissenschaft
- DIAMM
- Droz
- E. Schreiber Graphische Kunstanstalten
- Ediciones Boreal
- Ediciones Grial
- Ediclube
- Edições Inapa
- Edilan
- Editalia
- Edition Georg Popp
- Edition Leipzig
- Edition Libri Illustri
- Editiones Reales Sitios S. L.
- Éditions de l'Oiseau Lyre
- Editions Medicina Rara
- Editorial Casariego
- Editorial Mintzoa
- Editrice Antenore
- Editrice Velar
- Edizioni Edison
- Egeria, S.L.
- Eikon Editores
- Electa
- Enciclopèdia Catalana
- Eos-Verlag
- Ephesus Publishing
- Eugrammia Press
- Extraordinary Editions
- Fackelverlag
- Facsimile Editions Ltd.
- Facsimilia Art & Edition Ebert KG
- Faksimile Verlag
- Feuermann Verlag
- Folger Shakespeare Library
- Franco Cosimo Panini Editore
- Friedrich Wittig Verlag
- Fundación Hullera Vasco-Leonesa
- G. Braziller
- Gabriele Mazzotta Editore
- Gebr. Mann Verlag
- Getty Research Institute
- Giovanni Domenico de Rossi
- Giunti Editore
- Graffiti
- Grafica European Center of Fine Arts
- Guido Pressler
- Guillermo Blazquez
- H. N. Abrams
- Harrassowitz
- Helikon
- Hendrickson Publishers
- Henning Oppermann
- Herder Verlag
- Hes & De Graaf Publishers
- Hoepli
- Houghton Library
- Hugo Schmidt Verlag
- Idion Verlag
- Il Bulino, edizioni d'arte
- ILte
- Imago
- Insel Verlag
- Instituto de Estudios Altoaragoneses
- Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia
- Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana - Treccani
- Istituto Ellenico di Studi Bizantini e Postbizantini
- Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato
- Italarte Art Establishments
- J. Thorbecke
- Jan Thorbecke Verlag
- Johnson Reprint Corporation
- Jugoslavija
- Karl W. Hiersemann
- Kasper Straube
- Kaydeda Ediciones
- Konrad Kölbl Verlag
- Kurt Wolff Verlag
- La Liberia dello Stato
- La Linea Editrice
- La Meta Editore
- Lambert Schneider
- Landeskreditbank Baden-Württemberg
- Leo S. Olschki
- Les Incunables
- Library of Congress
- Libreria Musicale Italiana
- Lichtdruck
- Lito Immagine Editore
- Lumen Artis
- Lund Humphries
- M. Moleiro Editor
- Maison des Sciences de l'homme et de la société de Poitiers
- Manuscriptum
- Maruzen-Yushodo Co. Ltd.
- MASA
- McGraw-Hill
- Militos
- Millennium Liber
- Müller & Schindler
- National Library of Wales
- Neri Pozza
- Nova Charta
- Oceanum Verlag
- Odeon
- Orbis Mediaevalis
- Orbis Pictus
- Österreichische Staatsdruckerei
- Oxford University Press
- Parzellers Buchverlag
- Patrimonio Ediciones
- PIAF
- Pieper Verlag
- Plon-Nourrit et cie
- Prestel Verlag
- Princeton University Press
- Prisma Verlag
- Priuli & Verlucca, editori
- Pro Sport Verlag
- Propyläen Verlag
- Pytheas Books
- Quaternio Verlag Luzern
- Reales Sitios
- Recht-Verlag
- Reichert Verlag
- Reichsdruckerei
- Riehn & Reusch
- Roberto Vattori Editore
- Rosenkilde and Bagger
- Roxburghe Club
- Salerno Editrice
- Sarajevo Svjetlost
- Schöck ArtPrint Kft.
- Scolar Press
- Scrinium
- Scripta Maneant
- Scriptorium
- Siloé, arte y bibliofilia
- SISMEL - Edizioni del Galluzzo
- Sociedad Mexicana de Antropología
- Sorli Ediciones
- Stainer and Bell
- Styria Verlag
- Sumptibus Pragopress
- Szegedi Tudomànyegyetem
- Taberna Libraria
- Tarshish Books
- Taschen
- Tempus Libri
- Testimonio Compañía Editorial
- The Clear Vue Publishing Partnership Limited
- The Facsimile Codex
- The Folio Society
- The Marquess of Normanby
- The Richard III and Yorkist History Trust
- Tip.Le.Co
- TouchArt
- TRI Publishing Co.
- Trident Editore
- Typis Regiae Officinae Polygraphicae
- University of California Press
- University of Chicago Press
- Urs Graf
- Vallecchi
- Van Wijnen
- VCH, Acta Humaniora
- VDI Verlag
- Verlag für Regionalgeschichte
- Verlag Styria
- Vicent Garcia Editores
- W. Turnowsky
- Wiener Mechitharisten-Congregation (Wien, Österreich)
- Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft
- Xuntanza Editorial
- Zollikofer AG