The McCarthy Collection: French Miniatures

This substantial catalogue is the final of a three-volume set that explores the medieval manuscripts of the McCarthy Collection, arguably the largest and most important private collection of illuminated cuttings, miniatures, and leaves in the world. Richly detailed and brimming with beautiful illustrations and historical insights, this is a welcome contribution to medieval scholarship.  This volume focuses on illumination from France, featuring nearly one hundred works from a period covering the early twelfth century through the fifteenth. The wealth of French material in the collection is partly a reflection of Robert McCarthy's own early interest in French Gothic art, inspired by his youthful visits to the Chartres Cathedral.

Peter Kidd is a specialist in medieval manuscripts, with a focus on cataloguing and provenance research of illuminated books, leaves, and cuttings. He has written catalogues for The Queen's College, Oxford; the Bodleian Libraries at the University of Oxford; the Huntington Library in San Marino, California; and the Historical Medical Library of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, as well for dealers and auction houses.