The Luttrel Psalter is a book of psalms written in 1325 for Sir Geoffrey Luttrell of Irnham in Lincolnshire. (Channel 4 Luttrel Psalter: Sir Geoffrey) This manuscript was made up of 309 leaves of select parchment paper made of vellum (calf skin) and was written entirely in Latin. Historians believe that one scribe wrote the entire script whilst 3 or more painters would have worked on the images and paintings inside this book. Many times, as a paragraph is about to commence, the first letter will be illuminated with gold leaf and the size of it will be significantly increased. This manuscript holds depictions of everyday life in the Middle Ages and covers many of the aspects of living in these times. The Luttrel Psalter also contains ferocious paintings of monsters and babewyns. It is most likely that the scribe would have used feathers to write, as pens had not been invented in those times. This book stands as one of the most valuable manuscripts saved from the middle ages, as many did not survive to this day and time. The Psalter gives a great insight into the different features of life in the 13th and 14th century with it's many illuminated illustrations and representations of daily events and everyday scenes.
In these illustrations we can see a clear division of social status. Thus going back to the feudal system, where peasants were at the bottom and royalty at the top. Sir Geoffrey was a noble and therefore of quite elevated social ranking. At the dinner table scene, in the manuscript, we can see Sir Geoffrey, seated at the table whilst being served by his servants and butler. Two friars, employed to recite the psalms on a daily basis from the Luttrel Psalter are also seated at the dinner table. This also provides us with information towards the “cultural orientation” of Sir Geoffrey, we can tell from the presence of the monks that he is Roman Catholic. This image also provides details regarding the nutritional “value” of what the Nobles ate in the middle ages. On the table we can see plates of: eggs, roast meat, porridge-like cereal and maybe even suckling pig. The plates are made of silver, an indicator that he was extremely wealthy and could afford such expensive things. In the Luttrel Psalter, there are things to the evidence of the Sir Geoffrey’s wealth and power. The tapestries seen in the background of illustrations such as the dinner table and the horse and the gold leaf utilized in the illustrations suggest a lot of money and “power.” Nobles are always shown with elaborate clothing and headdresses indicating abundance in money to buy and create such detailed and intricate material. On the contrary, peasants in the images wore unadorned tunics with a set of plain leggings and flat-soled shoes. Servants and butlers show Sir Geoffrey as a man of affluence. Daily scenes also represent available technology in those ages: at the dinner table we can see bowls, knives and spoons. In the picture of the farmer in the field we can see a plough, also we can find: mills, armor, shields, tables, and other farming tools. The fact that there are metal plates suggests a blacksmith and tapestry hints towards the possibility of trade. As we can see in many of the depictions of peasants: agriculture was a big part of life in the middle ages. Animals such as cattle, sheep, pigs and chicken were farmed food and also used as farming tools. Scythes, knives, ploughs were often seen in images of peasants working in the fields.
The Luttrel Psalter was written for Sir Geoffrey and is more commonly believed to have been a tool to further praise and show off his wealth and power. In all pictures where he is painted, there are traces of gold leaf and he is always placed in focus. At the dinner table, you will find that the image overall, strongly resembles the last supper in which Jesus dines with his apostles. Is this a sign of him trying to portray himself as an equal to Jesus? It’s a possibility that this manuscript was made for the sole purpose of putting Sir Geoffrey Luttrell of Irnham in Lincolnshire in the limelight.
Sir Geoffrey passed away in 1345, leaving many estates and belongings to his family and employed servants and butler. The Luttrel Psalter lasts till this day, safely kept in the British Library, as a book of great insight into division of social ranking and life in the Middle Ages.
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