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Details
BOOK OF HOURS, use of Rome, in Latin and French, illuminated manuscript on vellum
[Tours, c.1495]
190 x 128mm. 120 + ii leaves: 16, 28, 37(of 8, lacking i), 4-88, 95(of 6, lacking i), 107(of 8, lacking i), 117(of 8, lacking viii), 12-168, 20 lines written in a lettre btarde in brown ink between two verticals and 21 horizontals ruled in dark pink, justification: 117 x 67mm, rubrics in dark pink, one- and two-line initials of liquid gold on grounds of red or blue patterned with liquid gold, line-endings of similar colours, PANEL BORDERS THROUGHOUT of divided fields with sprays of fruit and flowers against liquid gold and blue and gold acanthus on a parchment ground, occasional grotesques or birds, THIRTEEN MINIATURES accompanied by three-sided borders of similar forms (lacking 4 leaves, presumably with large miniatures). 18th-century ?Scottish tan panelled morocco gilt (slight wear at extremities). Brown cloth box.
PROVENANCE:
The manuscript was already owned by the Borthwicks of Crookston by 1731 when Mr Calderwell in Edinburgh made notes on the history of that and other Scottish families, on two parchment leaves bound at the end of the book. The bookplate of John Borthwick of Crookston, annotated that the manuscript was XVI in the catalogue, is inside the upper cover. In recent years it has been on deposit at the National Library of Scotland, where it had the accession no 9618/3, which is recorded on the back of the box.
CONTENT:
Calendar ff.1-6; Gospel Extracts ff.7-11v; Obsecro te.... ff.11v-14v; Office of the Virgin ff.15-61v: matins f.15 (lacking opening), lauds f.27v, prime f.35v, terce f.38v, sext f.41v, none f.44, vespers f.47, compline f.52v; Short Hours of the Cross ff.62-63v (lacking opening), Short Hours of the Holy Spirit ff.63v-65; Seven Penitential Psalms and Litany ff.67-80v (lacking opening); Office of the Dead ff.81-112 (lacking opening); Suffrages ff.113-120v
ILLUMINATION:
The decoration of the manuscript and aspects of the iconography of the thirteen miniatures, including the composition of narrative scenes in half-length, point to the origin of the manuscript in Tours. In particular the oval heads with heavy-lidded eyes and somewhat fleshy features, and the drapery falling in heavy folds and freely flecked with brushed-gold highlighting evoke the style of the anonymous illuminator known as the Master of Jean Charpentier from the Book of Hours made for the notary and secretary to the king (Angers, Bib. municipale, ms 2048): F. Avril & N. Reynaud, Les Manuscrits peintures en France 1440-1520 (Paris, 1993), pp.288-290. This illuminator had a workshop in Tours and painted Books of Hours for patrons throughout the Loire valley, and further afield, between 1475 and 1490. The close stylistic relationship of the present manuscript to this group, and its skilful execution and rendition of volume suggest that it was a late product from this workshop.
The subjects of the miniatures are as follows:
f.7 St John on Patmos
f.8v St Luke painting the Virgin
f.9v St Matthew writing
f.11 St Mark writing
f.11v The Virgin in prayer
f.27v Visitation
f.35v Nativity
f.38v Annunciation to the Shepherds
f.41v Adoration of the Magi
f.44 Presentation in the Temple
f.47 Flight into Egypt
f.52v Virgin as Queen of Heaven
f.63v Pentecost
[Tours, c.1495]
190 x 128mm. 120 + ii leaves: 1
PROVENANCE:
The manuscript was already owned by the Borthwicks of Crookston by 1731 when Mr Calderwell in Edinburgh made notes on the history of that and other Scottish families, on two parchment leaves bound at the end of the book. The bookplate of John Borthwick of Crookston, annotated that the manuscript was XVI in the catalogue, is inside the upper cover. In recent years it has been on deposit at the National Library of Scotland, where it had the accession no 9618/3, which is recorded on the back of the box.
CONTENT:
Calendar ff.1-6; Gospel Extracts ff.7-11v; Obsecro te.... ff.11v-14v; Office of the Virgin ff.15-61v: matins f.15 (lacking opening), lauds f.27v, prime f.35v, terce f.38v, sext f.41v, none f.44, vespers f.47, compline f.52v; Short Hours of the Cross ff.62-63v (lacking opening), Short Hours of the Holy Spirit ff.63v-65; Seven Penitential Psalms and Litany ff.67-80v (lacking opening); Office of the Dead ff.81-112 (lacking opening); Suffrages ff.113-120v
ILLUMINATION:
The decoration of the manuscript and aspects of the iconography of the thirteen miniatures, including the composition of narrative scenes in half-length, point to the origin of the manuscript in Tours. In particular the oval heads with heavy-lidded eyes and somewhat fleshy features, and the drapery falling in heavy folds and freely flecked with brushed-gold highlighting evoke the style of the anonymous illuminator known as the Master of Jean Charpentier from the Book of Hours made for the notary and secretary to the king (Angers, Bib. municipale, ms 2048): F. Avril & N. Reynaud, Les Manuscrits peintures en France 1440-1520 (Paris, 1993), pp.288-290. This illuminator had a workshop in Tours and painted Books of Hours for patrons throughout the Loire valley, and further afield, between 1475 and 1490. The close stylistic relationship of the present manuscript to this group, and its skilful execution and rendition of volume suggest that it was a late product from this workshop.
The subjects of the miniatures are as follows:
f.7 St John on Patmos
f.8v St Luke painting the Virgin
f.9v St Matthew writing
f.11 St Mark writing
f.11v The Virgin in prayer
f.27v Visitation
f.35v Nativity
f.38v Annunciation to the Shepherds
f.41v Adoration of the Magi
f.44 Presentation in the Temple
f.47 Flight into Egypt
f.52v Virgin as Queen of Heaven
f.63v Pentecost