2020 Essays

Raymond Masse: Merchant-Goldsmith in the Environment of the Author-Practitioner

Debuiche, Colin

Toulouse has long been an attractive city for goldsmiths. The author-practitioner of Ms. Fr. 640, who owned a goldsmith's forge (fol. 12v) and made multiple references to goldsmithing in the entries of his manuscript, was probably in contact with several masters from Toulouse. This profile resembles that of the merchant and goldsmith Raymond Masse. Active in Toulouse from 1585 to 1631, Masse’s activity, collaborations and relationships, both on a local and international level, bear many similarities with the concerns of the author-practitioner and shed light on several passages of the manuscript. Cliquez ici pour la version française: https://edition640.makingandknowing.org/#/essays/ann_313_ie_19