Details
BOOK OF HOURS, use of Rome, in Latin, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM
[Bruges, circa 1460]
92x65mm, 216 leaves, including 4 blank leaves at end, text complete (lacking only 2 miniatures), collation: 1-26 3-68 76 810 9-258 266 + 2 blanks; miniatures on single leaves inserted after 3/8, 4/7, 6/4, 8/8, 11/3, 11/8, 12/5, 13/2, 14/8, 16/3, 19/3. 15 lines, ruled in red, justification 53x36mm, written in brown ink in an italianate gothic rotunda, rubrics in red, versal initials in blue or gold with red and blue penwork flourishing, 2-line illuminated initials in gold on red and blue ground with white tracery, 16 FIVE AND SIX-LINE ILLUMINATED INITIALS in blue on burnished gold ground infilled with branchwork decoration, WITHIN FULL BORDERS OF LEAVES, FLOWERS AND BEZANTS, predominantly painted in gold and blue, on hairline stems, containing birds and occasional insects, 12 FULL-PAGE MINIATURES within arched compartments and with similar borders (2 miniatures lightly flaking, calendar leaves a little stained, but generally in fine condition). 19th-century brown morocco, edges gilt
PROVENANCE:
(1) Made in Bruges. The calendar contains Ss Donatian (14 Oct.) and Basil (14 June) in red, both patron saints of Bruges. Also in red are Ss Eligius, Nicholas and Nicasius pointing to the diocese of Tournai. The scribe was almost certainly Italian and the manuscript may have been commissioned for an Italian or Catalan. There were large colonies of Italians and Catalans established in the port of Bruges. (2) L.C.Berger, 19th-century bookplate
TEXT:
This comprises (ff 1-12) a rather sparse Calendar. (f.13) Hours of the Cross. (f.22) Hours of the Holy Ghost. (f.30) Office of the Virgin. (f.44) Hours of the Virgin; Matins. (f.66) Lauds; (f.79) Prime; (f.85) Terce; (f.91) Sext; (f.97) None; (f.103) Vespers; (f.112) Compline. (f.119) Office of the Virgin for Advent. (f.131) Penitential Psalms and Litany. (f.156) Office of the Dead. (f.205) Obsecro te. (f.209) O intemerata
ILLUMINATION:
This is very much in the style of Willem Vrelant, a Dutchman who first worked at Utrecht and is recorded as being established in Bruges in 1454 and dominated book illumination for nearly thirty years. He was the most prolific of the miniaturists active in Flanders in the third quarter of the 15th century and he and his workship illustrated a large number of Books of Hours. The present manuscript is certainly by one of Vrelant's collaborators, also containing possibly some of his own work. The miniatures are in grisaille and rich colours. The human figures and faces are subtly modelled in vigorous but fine strokes of colour. A similar, but more luxurious book of hours from the same workshop is described by L.M.J.Delaissé, J.Marrow and John de Wit in The James A.de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor: Illuminated Manuscripts (1977) MS 9 pp 181ff.
The subjects of the miniatures are:
folio 21v. Pentecost in a gothic chamber. (slightly flaking)
folio 29v. Virgin and Child enthroned with two angels, in a gothic chamber
folio 43v. Annunciation. In a gothic chamber
folio 65v. Visitation. The Virgin and St.Elisabeth in front of a pink castellated gate
folio 84v. Annunciation to the Shepherds, in a grisaille landscape, a city in the background
folio 90v. Adoration of the Magi (very minor flaking)
folio 96v. Presentation in the Temple
folio 102v. Massacre of the Innocents. The Virgin and Child kneeling before Herod, while behind her a soldier is killing a small child
folio 111v. Flight into Egypt. The scene is almost entirely in grisaille and beige
folio 118v. Coronation of the Virgin, she is accompanied by two angels folio 130v. King David praying to God in a grisaille landscape
folio 155v. The Raising of Lazarus, who appears as a boy rising from his grave
[Bruges, circa 1460]
92x65mm, 216 leaves, including 4 blank leaves at end, text complete (lacking only 2 miniatures), collation: 1-26 3-68 76 810 9-258 266 + 2 blanks; miniatures on single leaves inserted after 3/8, 4/7, 6/4, 8/8, 11/3, 11/8, 12/5, 13/2, 14/8, 16/3, 19/3. 15 lines, ruled in red, justification 53x36mm, written in brown ink in an italianate gothic rotunda, rubrics in red, versal initials in blue or gold with red and blue penwork flourishing, 2-line illuminated initials in gold on red and blue ground with white tracery, 16 FIVE AND SIX-LINE ILLUMINATED INITIALS in blue on burnished gold ground infilled with branchwork decoration, WITHIN FULL BORDERS OF LEAVES, FLOWERS AND BEZANTS, predominantly painted in gold and blue, on hairline stems, containing birds and occasional insects, 12 FULL-PAGE MINIATURES within arched compartments and with similar borders (2 miniatures lightly flaking, calendar leaves a little stained, but generally in fine condition). 19th-century brown morocco, edges gilt
PROVENANCE:
(1) Made in Bruges. The calendar contains Ss Donatian (14 Oct.) and Basil (14 June) in red, both patron saints of Bruges. Also in red are Ss Eligius, Nicholas and Nicasius pointing to the diocese of Tournai. The scribe was almost certainly Italian and the manuscript may have been commissioned for an Italian or Catalan. There were large colonies of Italians and Catalans established in the port of Bruges. (2) L.C.Berger, 19th-century bookplate
TEXT:
This comprises (ff 1-12) a rather sparse Calendar. (f.13) Hours of the Cross. (f.22) Hours of the Holy Ghost. (f.30) Office of the Virgin. (f.44) Hours of the Virgin; Matins. (f.66) Lauds; (f.79) Prime; (f.85) Terce; (f.91) Sext; (f.97) None; (f.103) Vespers; (f.112) Compline. (f.119) Office of the Virgin for Advent. (f.131) Penitential Psalms and Litany. (f.156) Office of the Dead. (f.205) Obsecro te. (f.209) O intemerata
ILLUMINATION:
This is very much in the style of Willem Vrelant, a Dutchman who first worked at Utrecht and is recorded as being established in Bruges in 1454 and dominated book illumination for nearly thirty years. He was the most prolific of the miniaturists active in Flanders in the third quarter of the 15th century and he and his workship illustrated a large number of Books of Hours. The present manuscript is certainly by one of Vrelant's collaborators, also containing possibly some of his own work. The miniatures are in grisaille and rich colours. The human figures and faces are subtly modelled in vigorous but fine strokes of colour. A similar, but more luxurious book of hours from the same workshop is described by L.M.J.Delaissé, J.Marrow and John de Wit in The James A.de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor: Illuminated Manuscripts (1977) MS 9 pp 181ff.
The subjects of the miniatures are:
folio 21v. Pentecost in a gothic chamber. (slightly flaking)
folio 29v. Virgin and Child enthroned with two angels, in a gothic chamber
folio 43v. Annunciation. In a gothic chamber
folio 65v. Visitation. The Virgin and St.Elisabeth in front of a pink castellated gate
folio 84v. Annunciation to the Shepherds, in a grisaille landscape, a city in the background
folio 90v. Adoration of the Magi (very minor flaking)
folio 96v. Presentation in the Temple
folio 102v. Massacre of the Innocents. The Virgin and Child kneeling before Herod, while behind her a soldier is killing a small child
folio 111v. Flight into Egypt. The scene is almost entirely in grisaille and beige
folio 118v. Coronation of the Virgin, she is accompanied by two angels folio 130v. King David praying to God in a grisaille landscape
folio 155v. The Raising of Lazarus, who appears as a boy rising from his grave