This book is the first comprehensive survey of the book trade and
illumination in late medieval Tournai. It presents the results of a
thorough documentary study . From both a historiographical and archival
point of view, it aims to reassess the concept of the "Tournai school of
illumination", which emerged in the 19th century and annexed such
prestigious names as Simon Marmion, Jean Tavernier or Roger Van der
Weyden. Comparing the Tournaisian records with those of neigbouring
cities, the author situates the importance of the city as book market
within the network of South Netherlandish production centres. At the
same time, he examines in detail the craft of illumination in this
region and comes up with a new status quaestionis. The study includes in
appendix the complete body of Tournaisian documents mentioning
manuscripts, as well as an extensive biographical list of book makers,
from the 13th to the 16th century. Hence, it is also an essential
reference book, which lays the foundations of a systematic study of book
illumination in Tournai.