Illuminating the Roman d'Alexandre - Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Bodley 264

Published in 2011 by Boydell & Brewer, Mark Cruse’s scholarly study examines the fourteenth-century manuscript known as the Roman d'Alexandre, housed in the Bodleian Library as MS Bodley 264. The original manuscript is a masterpiece of medieval illumination, created in Flanders around 1338–1344 and renowned for its lavish cycle of miniatures that depict the life and mythical exploits of Alexander the Great. It serves as a vital artifact of late medieval literary culture, blending historical narrative with fantastical courtly tradition.

In this volume, Cruse provides an in-depth analysis of the manuscript’s visual program, focusing on how its illustrations interact with the text to construct a political and moral vision of the legendary conqueror. The work is widely regarded in academic circles for its detailed iconographic exploration of the relationship between image and narrative, offering readers a critical framework to understand how the producers of the original manuscript sought to frame the identity of a global hero for a contemporary fourteenth-century audience.