French Renaissance bookbinding with decorative entrelacs (interlacing), made around 1545 by Jean Picard for Jean Grolier.
The decoration of this monumental bookbinding made for Jean Grolier is typical of the Renaissance style in France. It comprises a skilful series of entrelacs which, painted in black, provided at the time, a striking contrast with the leafy stalks invading it.
A powerful financier, fr
om an opulent family of traders in Lyons, Jean Grolier (1489-1565) became famous for his impressive library of some three thousand volumes, a huge number for the time. It is not for nothing, therefore, that this illustrious collector, who was the French Treasurer, is today known as the “Prince of Booklovers”.
Further information about the Michel Wittock Fund
Website Bibliotheca Wittockiana
