Overview

The Ormesby Psalter is perhaps the most magnificent yet enigmatic of the great Gothic psalters produced in East Anglia in the first half of the fourteenth century. This richly illustrated book casts an entirely new light on its history.

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9781851243105

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Reviews

'This is a fascinating study of the puzzling luxury psalter made for notable East Anglian families in the early years of the 14th century. Law-Turner's meticulous analysis of the heraldry reveals how the complex relationships of the Foliots and the Bardolfs, families in the circle of John de Warenne, and their continental links to the Dukes of Bar, impacted upon the various phases in the production of this remarkable book. She isolates four distinct campaigns of execution and convincingly attributes one of them to a painter from the distinguished entourage of Renaud de Bar, Bishop of Metz and uncle of Jeanne de Bar, wife of John VII de Warenne. She further sheds important light on the life of Robert of Ormesby and his revisions to the book made before he donated it to Norwich Cathedral Priory, where it underwent still more changes of rebinding and repair by an artist dubbed by Sydney Cockerell as the Cheap Finisher .' -- Alison Stones 'The majestic Ormesby Psalter is a triumph of medieval English manuscript illumination. Frederica Law-Turner clearly and elegantly explains the book's often enigmatic imagery. The fascinating history of the tome, which took some three quarters of a century to make, reads like one of Ellis Peters' Chronicles of Brother Cadfael. The saga involves an engagement, a stolen wardship, an ambitious ecclesiastic, and a falling steeple - a story well told.' -- Roger S. Wieck

'This is a fascinating study of the puzzling luxury psalter made for notable East Anglian families in the early years of the 14th century. Law-Turner's meticulous analysis of the heraldry reveals how the complex relationships of the Foliots and the Bardolfs, families in the circle of John de Warenne, and their continental links to the Dukes of Bar, impacted upon the various phases in the production of this remarkable book. She isolates four distinct campaigns of execution and convincingly attributes one of them to a painter from the distinguished entourage of Renaud de Bar, Bishop of Metz and uncle of Jeanne de Bar, wife of John VII de Warenne. She further sheds important light on the life of Robert of Ormesby and his revisions to the book made before he donated it to Norwich Cathedral Priory, where it underwent still more changes of rebinding and repair by an artist dubbed by Sydney Cockerell as the Cheap Finisher .' -- Alison Stones 'The majestic Ormesby Psalter is a triumph of medieval English manuscript illumination. Frederica Law-Turner clearly and elegantly explains the book's often enigmatic imagery. The fascinating history of the tome, which took some three quarters of a century to make, reads like one of Ellis Peters' Chronicles of Brother Cadfael. The saga involves an engagement, a stolen wardship, an ambitious ecclesiastic, and a falling steeple - a story well told.' -- Roger S. Wieck 'An informative and lucidly written introduction to the psalter and a starting point for anyone interested in illumination and medieval painting in general.' * The Burlington Magazine * 'An informative and lucidly written introduction to the psalter and a starting point for anyone interested in illumination and medieval painting in general.' * The Burlington Magazine *

'This is a fascinating study of the puzzling luxury psalter made for notable East Anglian families in the early years of the 14th century. Law-Turner's meticulous analysis of the heraldry reveals how the complex relationships of the Foliots and the Bardolfs, families in the circle of John de Warenne, and their continental links to the Dukes of Bar, impacted upon the various phases in the production of this remarkable book. She isolates four distinct campaigns of execution and convincingly attributes one of them to a painter from the distinguished entourage of Renaud de Bar, Bishop of Metz and uncle of Jeanne de Bar, wife of John VII de Warenne. She further sheds important light on the life of Robert of Ormesby and his revisions to the book made before he donated it to Norwich Cathedral Priory, where it underwent still more changes of rebinding and repair by an artist dubbed by Sydney Cockerell as the Cheap Finisher .' -- Alison Stones 'The majestic Ormesby Psalter is a triumph of medieval English manuscript illumination. Frederica Law-Turner clearly and elegantly explains the book's often enigmatic imagery. The fascinating history of the tome, which took some three quarters of a century to make, reads like one of Ellis Peters' Chronicles of Brother Cadfael. The saga involves an engagement, a stolen wardship, an ambitious ecclesiastic, and a falling steeple - a story well told.' -- Roger S. Wieck 'An informative and lucidly written introduction to the psalter and a starting point for anyone interested in illumination and medieval painting in general.' * The Burlington Magazine *

'This is a fascinating study of the puzzling luxury psalter made for notable East Anglian families in the early years of the 14th century. Law-Turner's meticulous analysis of the heraldry reveals how the complex relationships of the Foliots and the Bardolfs, families in the circle of John de Warenne, and their continental links to the Dukes of Bar, impacted upon the various phases in the production of this remarkable book. She isolates four distinct campaigns of execution and convincingly attributes one of them to a painter from the distinguished entourage of Renaud de Bar, Bishop of Metz and uncle of Jeanne de Bar, wife of John VII de Warenne. She further sheds important light on the life of Robert of Ormesby and his revisions to the book made before he donated it to Norwich Cathedral Priory, where it underwent still more changes of rebinding and repair by an artist dubbed by Sydney Cockerell as the Cheap Finisher .' -- Alison Stones 'The majestic Ormesby Psalter is a triumph of medieval English manuscript illumination. Frederica Law-Turner clearly and elegantly explains the book's often enigmatic imagery. The fascinating history of the tome, which took some three quarters of a century to make, reads like one of Ellis Peters' Chronicles of Brother Cadfael. The saga involves an engagement, a stolen wardship, an ambitious ecclesiastic, and a falling steeple - a story well told.' -- Roger S. Wieck

Author Information

Frederica C.E. Law-Turner is a specialist in illuminated manuscripts and J. Clawson Mills Fellow at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

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