Hierarchical Segmentation of Chretien’s Chevalier au Lion in ms. Princeton, University Library, Garrett 125

A good share of the critical interest in Princeton’s version of Chevalier au Lion is due to the presence of beautiful miniatures, which have been considered as a partly-independent pictorial narrative providing an unproblematic series of accurately selected knightly adventures. A textual study will show that miniatures, champie initials and pen-flourished letters all strictly depend on the very same editorial project which implies the presence of major and minor partitions, such as ‘chapters’ and ‘paragraphs’. A comparison of the findings with evidence emerging from other illustrated versions of the Chevalier au Lion will show that such editorial plan is quite peculiar and unique through the textual tradition of the novel because it implies a paratextual system which tightly integrates miniatures and champie initials.