Handwritten Annals of the City of Toulouse

More or less fanciful, they evoke, for example, the foundation of the city by the mythical King Tholus, grandson of Japhet, or even place Toulouse on an equal footing with Rome...

Although the historical value of the texts is relative, they nevertheless provide information on the concern of the municipal body to enhance its image and legitimacy in order to better defend itself against attempts by the royal administration or the Parlement of Toulouse to restrict its prerogatives.

But then, the scenes unfold over an increasingly large space: in 1351 the illumination takes the entire width of the page but occupies a still reduced height, in 1369 an architectural decoration comes to accompany the representation of the capitouls.

[1] During the French Renaissance (16th century), the paintings generally occupy a whole page, the portraits become more and more realistic and the background more polished, although it evokes non-Toulousian landscapes.

The 17th century was marked by scenes covering a double page and, from 1612 to 1644, by the talent of the painter Jean Chalette who, through the drapes, looks, attitudes or hand positions, gives an extraordinary realism to these compositions which are now more paintings than miniatures.

Subsequent painters adopted a more conventional style and, except in 1659 for the entry of Louis XIV and in 1701 for that of the Dukes of Burgundy and Berry, the staging was abandoned, the background being generally satisfied with a decor of drapes.

Also the latter were particularly attached to it, to the point that in 1689 the intendant of Languedoc, Lamoignon de Basville, reproached them for being more concerned with the making of their portraits than with the prompt execution of the king's orders.