Details
BOOK OF HOURS, use of Beauvais?, in Latin, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM
[Northeastern France, second quarter of the 14th century]
137x97mm, 150 leaves, including original final blank leaf, COMPLETE, collation: 112 2-88 94 10-188 196, with catchwords, 12 lines, ruled in plummet, justification 92x58mm, written in light brown ink in a gothic textura, rubrics in red, one-line initials in gold or blue with contrasting penwork decoration, line-fillers in gold and blue, 103 two-line illuminated initials in gold on blue and red ground with white tracery, 12 CALENDAR ILLUSTRATIONS within architectural compartments, ONE HALF-PAGE MINIATURE AND 9 LARGE HISTORIATED INITIALS (6- or 7-line), with three-quarter borders of gold and blue curving extension branches and bar- baguettes, supporting gold ivy leaves, most containing one or two birds, finches and peacocks, one a dragon, and one a drollery of an archer shooting his arrow at a rabbit. (Occasional minor thumb soiling, but generally in very good condition). 17th century-red morocco gilt, edges gilt
PROVENANCE:
(1) Made for the woman who appears in the first miniature. The use appears according to Madan to be of Beauvais, but according to Leroquais, that of St.Denis de Reims is very similar. The calendar and the litany are both inconclusive. (2) Le Chevalier Pierre? de Naudoneraye (faded 17th or 18th-century signature on first leaf). (3) S.H.Doulle, Havre, blindstamped on flyleaf. (4) William Harcourt Hooper, 19th century bookplate
TEXT:
(ff 1-12) Calendar in French. (f.13) Hours of the Virgin,preceded by short prayer, Matins. (f.26v) Lauds. (f.39v) Prime. (f.45v) Terce. (f.50) Sext. (f.53) None. (f.57v) Vespers. (f.65v) Compline. (f.73) Penitential Psalms and Litany. (f.93v) Office of the Dead
DECORATION:
A very attractive early book of hours, similar to manuscripts illuminated at Metz at that time. Two stylistically related Books of Hours in the Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore (W.90 and W.92), are attributed to Saint Omer and Metz respectively (cf.L.Randall, Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the Walters Art Gallery nos. 54 and 71). The figures in the large historiated initials are mainly blue, red and flesh-coloured and on a ground of burnished gold. The subjects of the miniatures are:
folio 13. The Madonna of Humility represented as the woman clothed in the sun, her foot resting on the moon, nursing the Child, within a golden sunburst, being adored by the female owner, against a background of stars. Half page
folio 26v. Betrayal. Judas kissing Christ, who is restoring Malchus' ear, Peter sheathing his sword back, 2 soldiers at side
folio 39v. Christ before Pilate
folio 45v. Flagellation. The bleeding Christ tied to a pole, two men raising their whips
folio 50. Christ carrying the Cross led by a soldier, the Virgin supporting one of the crossbars
folio 53v. Christ crucified. The Virgin and St.John weeping below
folio 57v. Deposition. Nicodemus lifting Christ's body, the Virgin supporting Christ's arm, a man kneeling a foot removing the nail
folio 65v. Entombment. Christ lowered into the coffin by Joseph of Arimathea, Mary Magdalen anointing the body
folio 73. Christ as the Man of Sorrows. At foot of border a drollery of a man shooting an arrow at a rabbit
folio 93v. Funeral Service. Three monks, two singing, against a diapered background
The subjects of the calendar miniatures are mostly the occupations of the months: January, a man warming his feet against a stove. February, a female saint holding a staff raised. March, pruning. April, picking flowering branches. May, a horseman hawking. June, mowing. July, reaping. August, winnowing. September, carrying wood. October, picking grapes. November, thrashing for acorns. December, baking.
[Northeastern France, second quarter of the 14th century]
137x97mm, 150 leaves, including original final blank leaf, COMPLETE, collation: 112 2-88 94 10-188 196, with catchwords, 12 lines, ruled in plummet, justification 92x58mm, written in light brown ink in a gothic textura, rubrics in red, one-line initials in gold or blue with contrasting penwork decoration, line-fillers in gold and blue, 103 two-line illuminated initials in gold on blue and red ground with white tracery, 12 CALENDAR ILLUSTRATIONS within architectural compartments, ONE HALF-PAGE MINIATURE AND 9 LARGE HISTORIATED INITIALS (6- or 7-line), with three-quarter borders of gold and blue curving extension branches and bar- baguettes, supporting gold ivy leaves, most containing one or two birds, finches and peacocks, one a dragon, and one a drollery of an archer shooting his arrow at a rabbit. (Occasional minor thumb soiling, but generally in very good condition). 17th century-red morocco gilt, edges gilt
PROVENANCE:
(1) Made for the woman who appears in the first miniature. The use appears according to Madan to be of Beauvais, but according to Leroquais, that of St.Denis de Reims is very similar. The calendar and the litany are both inconclusive. (2) Le Chevalier Pierre? de Naudoneraye (faded 17th or 18th-century signature on first leaf). (3) S.H.Doulle, Havre, blindstamped on flyleaf. (4) William Harcourt Hooper, 19th century bookplate
TEXT:
(ff 1-12) Calendar in French. (f.13) Hours of the Virgin,preceded by short prayer, Matins. (f.26v) Lauds. (f.39v) Prime. (f.45v) Terce. (f.50) Sext. (f.53) None. (f.57v) Vespers. (f.65v) Compline. (f.73) Penitential Psalms and Litany. (f.93v) Office of the Dead
DECORATION:
A very attractive early book of hours, similar to manuscripts illuminated at Metz at that time. Two stylistically related Books of Hours in the Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore (W.90 and W.92), are attributed to Saint Omer and Metz respectively (cf.L.Randall, Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the Walters Art Gallery nos. 54 and 71). The figures in the large historiated initials are mainly blue, red and flesh-coloured and on a ground of burnished gold. The subjects of the miniatures are:
folio 13. The Madonna of Humility represented as the woman clothed in the sun, her foot resting on the moon, nursing the Child, within a golden sunburst, being adored by the female owner, against a background of stars. Half page
folio 26v. Betrayal. Judas kissing Christ, who is restoring Malchus' ear, Peter sheathing his sword back, 2 soldiers at side
folio 39v. Christ before Pilate
folio 45v. Flagellation. The bleeding Christ tied to a pole, two men raising their whips
folio 50. Christ carrying the Cross led by a soldier, the Virgin supporting one of the crossbars
folio 53v. Christ crucified. The Virgin and St.John weeping below
folio 57v. Deposition. Nicodemus lifting Christ's body, the Virgin supporting Christ's arm, a man kneeling a foot removing the nail
folio 65v. Entombment. Christ lowered into the coffin by Joseph of Arimathea, Mary Magdalen anointing the body
folio 73. Christ as the Man of Sorrows. At foot of border a drollery of a man shooting an arrow at a rabbit
folio 93v. Funeral Service. Three monks, two singing, against a diapered background
The subjects of the calendar miniatures are mostly the occupations of the months: January, a man warming his feet against a stove. February, a female saint holding a staff raised. March, pruning. April, picking flowering branches. May, a horseman hawking. June, mowing. July, reaping. August, winnowing. September, carrying wood. October, picking grapes. November, thrashing for acorns. December, baking.