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Details
BOOK OF HOURS, use of Rome, in Latin, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM
[Flanders, c.1510]
140 x 100mm. 224 leaves: 112, 2-38, 49(iv a singleton with miniature), 59(iv a singleton with miniature), 68, 79(i a singleton with miniature), 8-118, 127(of 8, vi cancelled blank), 13-148, 159(vi a singleton with miniature), 16-178, 189(i a singleton with miniature), 19-278, text complete, possibly lacking three further singletons with miniatures, 17 lines in black ink in a gothic bookhand between two verticals and 18 horizontals ruled in pink, top and bottom across margins, justification: 90 x 65mm, rubrics in pink, one- to six-line initials with camaïeu d'or twig or foliate staves on grounds of blue, green, grey or red, TWELVE FULL-PAGE ILLUSIONISTIC BORDERS EACH INCORPORATING TWO MINIATURES, one with the occupation of the month and the other a roundel with the sign of the zodiac, EIGHT LARGE FOLIATE INITIALS AND TWO HISTORIATED INITIALS, ALL WITH FULL-PAGE BORDERS, five of the foliate initials facing miniatures, THIRTY-FIVE SMALL MINIATURES WITH FULL-PAGE BORDERS, the miniatures eight-lines high (one seven-lines), LARGE MINIATURE AND ILLUSIONISTIC BORDER above and around five lines of text, FIVE FULL-PAGE MINIATURES with surrounding borders, all borders of 'Ghent-Bruges' types with flowers, foliage-sprays, insects and birds against coloured grounds, others with jewels, pilgrim badges, architectural surrounds, landscape scenes, peacock feathers or prayers (very occasional spotting and minimal surface losses). 19th-century brown morocco gilt, spine gilt in six compartments, by Thivet, marbled endleaves, edges gilt and gauffered (lower corners bumped, minor scuffing of edges).
PROVENANCE:
The scribe signed his work at the end of the Office of the Dead 'Finis huius libri per me hanskin de bomalia'. Johanne de Bomalia is one of the few Flemish scribes to have signed their work and he is also known through documentary records. He was listed in 1489, as 'broeder Ian de Bomale' in the Bruges confraternity of St John the Evangelist and St Luke -- to which all the members of the book crafts belonged. He reappears in later entries as 'Ian Bomalia'. The earlier title, 'broeder' is explained by a contract of 1499, which reveals that he was a Dominican friar 'heer Ian de bomalia presbitre religieux van sinte Dominicus ordene': W.H.J. Weale, 'Documents inédits sur les enlumineurs de Bruges', Le Beffroi, IV, 1872-3, pp.318, 322, 329 and 332.
He also signed a richly illuminated book of Hours in The Hague (Meermanno-Westreenianum Ms 10 E.3) and a Processional in Berkeley, California (UCB, Music Library Ms O745). His bastarda script, with its long arching ascenders on the letters d and v and the extending fine tails to g, is like that in a substantial group of manuscripts given to the 'Thin Descender Scribe': Illuminating the Renaissance, The Triumph of Flemish Manuscript Painting in Europe, 2003, pp.373 & 442. These all seem likely to be the work of Hanskin de Bomalia: he was clearly a highly successful and sought-after professional, for they include the Book of Hours made for King James IV of Scotland and his wife Margaret Tudor (Vienna, ÖNB, Ms 1897) and a lavish Hours once owned by Marie de Medici, now in Oxford (Bodleian Library, Douce 112). For the most recent discussion on this question see R. Gay, 'Scribe Biographies' in Flemish Manuscript Painting in Context, eds E. Morrison & T. Kren, 2006, pp.183-188.
Emmanuel Pierre Rodacanachi, French historian and man of letters (1859-1934): his bookplate with monogram EPR and motto 'In Labore Quies' inside upper cover and his printed bookplate with 'Otium in Labore' on the verso of the front endleaf: his sale, Paris, Drouot, 7 May 1934, lot 52. His library of works on Italy, ancient and modern, was left to the Institut de France.
CONTENT:
Calendar ff.1-12v; Salve Sancta Facies ff.13-14; Gospel Extracts ff.14v-20; Passion according to John ff.21-31v; Hours of the Cross ff.33-40v; Hours of the Holy Spirit ff.42-48v; Mass of the Virgin ff.49-54; Office of the Virgin, use of Rome ff.56-123; matins f.56, lauds f.74, prime f.85, terce f.89, sext f.93, none f.97, vespers f.101, compline f.108, variants for Advent f.113v; Seven Penitential Psalms and Litany ff.125-143v; Office of the Dead ff.145-192v; Prayers to the Trinity (f.193) Christ f.193v, Seven Prayers of St Gregory f.196, Verses of St Bernard f.197v, Obsecro te f.199, O intemerata f.203, Stabat mater dolorosa f.205v, Suffrages to Saint John the Baptist f.207v, The Evangelist f.208, St Peter f.209, St Paul f.209v, St James f.210v, St Sebastian f.211, St Christopher f.212v, St Lawrence f.214, St Francis f.214v, St Anthony of Padua f.215v, St Jerome f.216, St Dominic f.217, St Anne f.217v, St Mary Magdalene f.218v, St Catherine f.219, St Barbara f.220, St Margaret f.221, St Appollonia f.222, All Saints f.223.
ILLUMINATION:
The profusion and variety of the borders in this manuscript almost make it a catalogue raisonnée of the 'Ghent-Bruges' repertoire: there are strewn flowers -- some with acanthus, some with insects -- but also architectural surrounds and trompe l'oeil borders, including peacock feathers, beads or pilgrim badges. Compositions familiar from the work of other masters -- the battle of sea monsters, the field of rabbits -- place this hours in the mainstream of high quality Flemish illumination.
The principal artist responsible for this richly illuminated manuscript is the Master of Sir George Talbot, named after a Book of Hours made for the Earl of Shrewsbury around 1500 (Oxford, Bodleian Library, Ms Gough Liturg.7). The oval, compact-featured heads serve as an instant identifier of his style, and the compositions of many of the miniatures and borders are mirrored in his other known manuscripts, for example the Hours in Paris (BnF, Ms lat.1166): V. Leroquais, Livres d'heures, 1927, i, pp.91-92 & pls 106-109.
The present manuscript was one of only four accepted by Bodo Brinkmann in 1992 as containing miniatures by the Sir George Talbot Master (Offizium der Madonna, Der Codex Vat. Lat. 10293: Kommentarband (1992), p.153 n.88, and Sotheby's, 23 June 1992, lot 93). Subsequently two further Hours have been added to this select oeuvre: one offered in these rooms on 11 July 2002 (lot 43) and the Hours of Jean Carondelet, Archbishop of Palermo, Primate of Sicily and Chancellor of Flanders (New York, Pierpont Morgan Lib., Ms M.390): R. Wieck, Painted Prayers, 1997, p.89. Carondelet was the patron of Gossaert, van Orley and Vermeyen, the greatest Netherlandish painters of his day. The known patrons of the Sir George Talbot Master demonstrate the high regard in which this illuminator's work was held.
Some of the smaller miniatures are the work of the illuminator of a British library manuscript (Add. Ms 15677), who collaborated with the George Talbot Master on a manuscript now in the Vatican (BAV, Capponi 218). a third hand was responsible for the Calendar miniatures.
The subjects of the miniatures are as follows:
A man warming himself at a fire, and Aquarius (January) f.1; A man pruning, and Pisces (February) f.2; A man digging, and Aries (March) f.3; A man walking with a dog, and Taurus f.4; A man riding a white horse, and Gemini f.5; A labourer raking hay, and Cancer f.6; A man harvesting wheat, and Leo f.7; A labourer threshing, and Virgo f.8; A man treading grapes, and Scorpio f.9; A man sowing, and Libra f.10; A man knocking down acorns for his pigs, and Sagittarius f.11; A man singeing the bristles off a hog, and Capricorn f.12; St John on Patmos f.14v; St Luke painting a miniature of the Virgin f.16; St Matthew writing f.17v; St Mark at his desk f.19; the Crucifixion f.32v; Pentecost f.41v; the Annunciation f.55v; the Visitation f.74; the Nativity f.85; the Annunciation to the Shepherds f.89; the Adoration of the Magi f.93; the Presentation in the Temple f.97; the Massacre of the Innocents f.101; the Flight into Egypt f.108; the Coronation of the Virgin f.113v; David praying f.124v; the Raising of Lazarus, f.144v; God the Father holding the body of Christ, the Dove between them f.193; the Christ Child holding the Cross f.193v; the Mass of St Gregory f.196; St Bernard f.197v; the Pietà, with Sts John and Mary Magdalene f.199; the Virgin and St John f.203; the Virgin and St John before the Cross f.205v; St John the Baptist f.207v; St John the Evangelist f.208; St Peter f.209; St Andrew f.209v; St James the Greater f.210v; St Sebastian f.211; St Christopher carrying the Christ Child f.212v; St Lawrence f.214; St Francis f.214v; St Anthony of Padua and Christ Child f.215v; St Jerome in the wilderness f.216; St Dominic f.217; St Anne with the Virgin and Child f.217v; St Mary Magdalene f.218v; St Catherine f.219; St Barbara f.220; St Margaret f.221; St Apollonia f.222; All Saints f.223.
[Flanders, c.1510]
140 x 100mm. 224 leaves: 1
PROVENANCE:
The scribe signed his work at the end of the Office of the Dead 'Finis huius libri per me hanskin de bomalia'. Johanne de Bomalia is one of the few Flemish scribes to have signed their work and he is also known through documentary records. He was listed in 1489, as 'broeder Ian de Bomale' in the Bruges confraternity of St John the Evangelist and St Luke -- to which all the members of the book crafts belonged. He reappears in later entries as 'Ian Bomalia'. The earlier title, 'broeder' is explained by a contract of 1499, which reveals that he was a Dominican friar 'heer Ian de bomalia presbitre religieux van sinte Dominicus ordene': W.H.J. Weale, 'Documents inédits sur les enlumineurs de Bruges', Le Beffroi, IV, 1872-3, pp.318, 322, 329 and 332.
He also signed a richly illuminated book of Hours in The Hague (Meermanno-Westreenianum Ms 10 E.3) and a Processional in Berkeley, California (UCB, Music Library Ms O745). His bastarda script, with its long arching ascenders on the letters d and v and the extending fine tails to g, is like that in a substantial group of manuscripts given to the 'Thin Descender Scribe': Illuminating the Renaissance, The Triumph of Flemish Manuscript Painting in Europe, 2003, pp.373 & 442. These all seem likely to be the work of Hanskin de Bomalia: he was clearly a highly successful and sought-after professional, for they include the Book of Hours made for King James IV of Scotland and his wife Margaret Tudor (Vienna, ÖNB, Ms 1897) and a lavish Hours once owned by Marie de Medici, now in Oxford (Bodleian Library, Douce 112). For the most recent discussion on this question see R. Gay, 'Scribe Biographies' in Flemish Manuscript Painting in Context, eds E. Morrison & T. Kren, 2006, pp.183-188.
Emmanuel Pierre Rodacanachi, French historian and man of letters (1859-1934): his bookplate with monogram EPR and motto 'In Labore Quies' inside upper cover and his printed bookplate with 'Otium in Labore' on the verso of the front endleaf: his sale, Paris, Drouot, 7 May 1934, lot 52. His library of works on Italy, ancient and modern, was left to the Institut de France.
CONTENT:
Calendar ff.1-12v; Salve Sancta Facies ff.13-14; Gospel Extracts ff.14v-20; Passion according to John ff.21-31v; Hours of the Cross ff.33-40v; Hours of the Holy Spirit ff.42-48v; Mass of the Virgin ff.49-54; Office of the Virgin, use of Rome ff.56-123; matins f.56, lauds f.74, prime f.85, terce f.89, sext f.93, none f.97, vespers f.101, compline f.108, variants for Advent f.113v; Seven Penitential Psalms and Litany ff.125-143v; Office of the Dead ff.145-192v; Prayers to the Trinity (f.193) Christ f.193v, Seven Prayers of St Gregory f.196, Verses of St Bernard f.197v, Obsecro te f.199, O intemerata f.203, Stabat mater dolorosa f.205v, Suffrages to Saint John the Baptist f.207v, The Evangelist f.208, St Peter f.209, St Paul f.209v, St James f.210v, St Sebastian f.211, St Christopher f.212v, St Lawrence f.214, St Francis f.214v, St Anthony of Padua f.215v, St Jerome f.216, St Dominic f.217, St Anne f.217v, St Mary Magdalene f.218v, St Catherine f.219, St Barbara f.220, St Margaret f.221, St Appollonia f.222, All Saints f.223.
ILLUMINATION:
The profusion and variety of the borders in this manuscript almost make it a catalogue raisonnée of the 'Ghent-Bruges' repertoire: there are strewn flowers -- some with acanthus, some with insects -- but also architectural surrounds and trompe l'oeil borders, including peacock feathers, beads or pilgrim badges. Compositions familiar from the work of other masters -- the battle of sea monsters, the field of rabbits -- place this hours in the mainstream of high quality Flemish illumination.
The principal artist responsible for this richly illuminated manuscript is the Master of Sir George Talbot, named after a Book of Hours made for the Earl of Shrewsbury around 1500 (Oxford, Bodleian Library, Ms Gough Liturg.7). The oval, compact-featured heads serve as an instant identifier of his style, and the compositions of many of the miniatures and borders are mirrored in his other known manuscripts, for example the Hours in Paris (BnF, Ms lat.1166): V. Leroquais, Livres d'heures, 1927, i, pp.91-92 & pls 106-109.
The present manuscript was one of only four accepted by Bodo Brinkmann in 1992 as containing miniatures by the Sir George Talbot Master (Offizium der Madonna, Der Codex Vat. Lat. 10293: Kommentarband (1992), p.153 n.88, and Sotheby's, 23 June 1992, lot 93). Subsequently two further Hours have been added to this select oeuvre: one offered in these rooms on 11 July 2002 (lot 43) and the Hours of Jean Carondelet, Archbishop of Palermo, Primate of Sicily and Chancellor of Flanders (New York, Pierpont Morgan Lib., Ms M.390): R. Wieck, Painted Prayers, 1997, p.89. Carondelet was the patron of Gossaert, van Orley and Vermeyen, the greatest Netherlandish painters of his day. The known patrons of the Sir George Talbot Master demonstrate the high regard in which this illuminator's work was held.
Some of the smaller miniatures are the work of the illuminator of a British library manuscript (Add. Ms 15677), who collaborated with the George Talbot Master on a manuscript now in the Vatican (BAV, Capponi 218). a third hand was responsible for the Calendar miniatures.
The subjects of the miniatures are as follows:
A man warming himself at a fire, and Aquarius (January) f.1; A man pruning, and Pisces (February) f.2; A man digging, and Aries (March) f.3; A man walking with a dog, and Taurus f.4; A man riding a white horse, and Gemini f.5; A labourer raking hay, and Cancer f.6; A man harvesting wheat, and Leo f.7; A labourer threshing, and Virgo f.8; A man treading grapes, and Scorpio f.9; A man sowing, and Libra f.10; A man knocking down acorns for his pigs, and Sagittarius f.11; A man singeing the bristles off a hog, and Capricorn f.12; St John on Patmos f.14v; St Luke painting a miniature of the Virgin f.16; St Matthew writing f.17v; St Mark at his desk f.19; the Crucifixion f.32v; Pentecost f.41v; the Annunciation f.55v; the Visitation f.74; the Nativity f.85; the Annunciation to the Shepherds f.89; the Adoration of the Magi f.93; the Presentation in the Temple f.97; the Massacre of the Innocents f.101; the Flight into Egypt f.108; the Coronation of the Virgin f.113v; David praying f.124v; the Raising of Lazarus, f.144v; God the Father holding the body of Christ, the Dove between them f.193; the Christ Child holding the Cross f.193v; the Mass of St Gregory f.196; St Bernard f.197v; the Pietà, with Sts John and Mary Magdalene f.199; the Virgin and St John f.203; the Virgin and St John before the Cross f.205v; St John the Baptist f.207v; St John the Evangelist f.208; St Peter f.209; St Andrew f.209v; St James the Greater f.210v; St Sebastian f.211; St Christopher carrying the Christ Child f.212v; St Lawrence f.214; St Francis f.214v; St Anthony of Padua and Christ Child f.215v; St Jerome in the wilderness f.216; St Dominic f.217; St Anne with the Virgin and Child f.217v; St Mary Magdalene f.218v; St Catherine f.219; St Barbara f.220; St Margaret f.221; St Apollonia f.222; All Saints f.223.
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