Scenes from the Romances

Chrétien's The Knight of the Cart, was a favorite of illuminators. This manuscript (The Vulgate Cycle) is much later than Chrétien's work, but you can see how popular certain scenes remained. We have read many times about the great feasts Arthur had at his court. Below is a scene of the feast at Whitsuntide:

Whitsun Feast

(BL MS Royal 14, EIII, f. 89)

The scene of Lancelot riding in the infamous cart:

Lancelot in the Cart

(Pierpont Morgan, MS 805, f. 119)

The scene of Lancelot crossing the Sword Bridge. Can you see the "Lion" on the other side?

Lancelot at the Sword Bridge

(Pierpont Morgan, MS 805, f. 166)

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