Rosary of Joan the Mad

Rosary of Joan the Mad

The great master of 16th century Flemish manuscript art, Simon Bening, finished for the royal patron Joanna I of Castile this wonderful, 1525 treasure of art. Throughout the 40 pages, the prayers and 15 Mysteries of the Rosary – extraordinarily in Spanish – are collected together with their adjoining miniatures. They belong to the greatest productions, which were produced in the 16th century. Grandiose hymns unite with impressive figures and depictions, with wonderful landscapes and perspective areas. In its totality, the Rosary of Joan the Mad will be sure to excite today’s collector.

The Destiny of the Patron

The patron of this private book treasure was the Catholic Queen, Joanna I (1479–1555), who carried with her the byname the Mad. Her tragic and impressive life fascinates even to this day. As the Queen of Castile, Joanna governed an enormous empire, that spanned from Naples/Sicily, all of Spain, and the heretofore discovered territory of the New World (South and Central America). She was married to Philipp the Fair from Austria, with which they had their son Emperor Maximilian I. Through this marriage, the Kingdoms of Austria and Spain were connected into a powerful Habsburg-Empire. Joanna’s name is also connected with many important figures of her time. Her brother Don Juan married Philipps’s sister, Margaret of Austria, and Joanna’s son would rule a global empire as Emperor Charles V. Her byname was received due to her hot temperament and her jealousy, which would leave the Queen with neuropathy. Her life concluded after more than 40 years of imprisonment in the castle of Tordesillas in Valladolid.

The Great Miniaturist of his Time

As the artist of the miniatures and the design of the Rosary Book – suitable indeed for a Queen – the great miniaturist of his time was commissioned. In Bruges, a center of manuscript art, Simon Bening (1483–1561) was known as the most successful and most famous miniaturist of the 16th century and as one of the most important representatives of his trade. Bening’s customers were among the most important patrons. Especially famous is his Book of Hours for the Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg, or his works for Emperor Charles V. The undisputed master of 16th century European manuscript art primarily made valuable books of hours, but also genealogical trees, e.g., the family tree of the royal houses of Portugal and Spain.

The Impressive Miniatures

The Rosary Book for Joanna the Mad contains 16 whole page miniatures, which are divided between two different collections in Cambridge and Boston today. They are each surrounded by a narrow frame with decorative elements, which imitate a gilded picture frame. An especially ostensible miniature of the highest quality depicts the impressive three-dimensionality of the hymns. Either before architectural or landscape backgrounds, each scene is varied by the depth of the room like a panel painting. Also depicted in light colors are the 15 Mysteries of the Rosary with adjoining biblical scenes: the Annunciation to the Crown of Thorns, Castigation and Bearing of the Cross, up to the Resurrection. The scene of Mary’s Visitation is an example of the wonderful depictions laid in a fantastic landscape with delicate flowers and a massive, Flemish-looking building next to water with a wonderful blue sky in the background. Aside from the miniature pages, the text pages are artistically designed. Bright borders with generally natural depictions of plants, small animals, and insects surround the Spanish prayers. Light red strawberries, delicate blue violets, birds, butterflies, and grasshoppers populate the edges in grandiose style, and numerous initials adorn the text. All visual representations are richly gilded and lend the royal Rosary its noble aura.