Great Equestrian Armorial of the Golden Fleece
The Great Equestrian Armorial of the Golden Fleece is the most famous of all the rolls of arms and one of the most beautiful manuscripts of the Late Middle Ages. This armorial (roll of arms) is a codex on paper in quite a small format (approximately 29 x 21 cm), incomplete and in its current state contains 167 sheets. The collection contains: on the one hand, 79 full-page equestrian portraits of various sovereigns, princes and vassals of several European countries that were members of the chivalric Order of the Golden Fleece, represented in full heraldic dress and in combat position for jousting; and, on the other hand, a European roll of arms consisting of 942 shields. The sober, vigorous drawing is highlighted with thick black ink strokes, which emphasize the stylised character of the figures. It was coloured using gouache paint, which to this day has remained amazingly fresh.