Raphael de Mercatellis

He was the illegitimate son of Duke Philip the Good of Burgundy and a woman of Venetian origins, the wife of a merchant.

While pursuing a career within the Catholic church, and particularly after becoming abbot of Saint Bavo's Abbey in Ghent, he assembled a collection of lavish illuminated and decorated manuscripts.

[1] Raphael de Mercatellis was one of a large number of illegitimate children of Duke Philip, and like most of his male half-siblings was provided with an education and a career by the ducal court.

[2] He planned a large funerary monument for himself, and upon his death his body was supposedly transported from Bruges to Ghent by a retinue including 100 horses.

[1] Raphael de Mercatellis began buying books early in life, after having been appointed abbot of St. Peter's abbey in Oudenburg.

[2] The books commissioned by de Mercatellis were luxuriously made, written on fine parchment and bound in colourful damask, silk or camlet bindings.

[10] In addition, the library of de Mercatellis also contained books on geography, medicine and pseudoscience such as astrology and chiromancy.

[1] It is unusual for a medieval book collection to be attributable to a single original owner and to have survived through history relatively intact in this way.