Book of Hours, Use of Rome, in Latin and French, illuminated manuscript on vellum [northern France (perhaps Cambrai), late fifteenth century]

Estimate

15,000 - 20,000 GBP

bidding is closed

Description

Vellum

154 leaves, 178mm. by 108mm., perhaps wanting a single leaf before fol.141, else complete, collation: i^{2, ii^{6, ii^{4, iv-xx^{8, xxi^{6 (last 2 blank and cancelled), single column, 20 lines in black ink in a late gothic bookhand, capitals touched in yellow, rubrics in red, one-line initials in blue or gold with contrasting penwork, 2- or 3-line initials in gold on blue and pink grounds heightened with white penwork, twenty very large initials (7-line) in same, some enclosing sprays of foliage, all with decorated border panels of coloured foliage on red single-line stems,}}}}}fourteen half-page arch-topped miniatures (fols.13r, 27v, 36v, 40v, 44v, 48v, 52v, 58v, 77r, 80r, 83r, 101r, 143r, 149r), with thick burnished gold text frames and full borders of sprays of coloured foliage, fruit and acanthus leaves, some on coloured or dull-gold shapes, each above a 3-line initial in blue or pink on gold grounds, an added nineteenth-century pressmark "T U 1815" on front flyleaf, some small scuffs and stains, else good condition, extremely fine French Renaissance binding of light brown morocco with interlacing strapwork in entrelac-style over pasteboards, skilfully rebacked

Catalogue Note

text

The text comprises: the Seven verses of St. Gregory, added in the sixteenth century (fol.1v); a Calendar (fol.3r); the Hours of the Virgin, with Matins (fol.13r), Lauds (fol.27v), Prime (fol.36v), Terce (fol.40v), Sext (fol.44v), None (fol.48v), Vespers (fol.52v) and Compline (fol.58v); the Lesser Hours of the Virgin (fol.62v) opening with a rubric in French; the Seven Penitential Psalms (fol.83r), with a Litany; readings from John (fol.95v); the Obsecro te (fol.97r); the Office of the Dead (fol.101r); suffrages to various saints (fol.135r), the Trinity ans the Stabat mater; with further sixteenth-century prayers added at end.

illumination

The majority of the miniatures have a profusion of gold, with thick burnished gold frames and haloes, and numerous tiny liquid gold strokes highlighting the edge of the drapery, and detailed interiors with numerous incidental additions from daily life. Note in particular, the miniature on fol.48v, with its detailed interior with liquid gold hairline strokes picking out carved human figures in the wooden panelling, and fol.58v, with a cacophony of detail, including a saint who takes off his pince nez reading glasses to contemplate the Virgin.

The miniatures comprise:

1. fol. 13r, the Annunciation to the Virgin within a detailed gothic interior.

2. fol. 27v, the Visitation of the Virgin to St. Anne, both with highly burnished gold haloes.

3. fol. 36v, the Nativity, the Christ Child surrounded by radiating beams of liquid gold.

4. fol. 40v, the Annunciation to the Shepherds.

5. fol. 44v, the Visitation of the Magi, each king holding a vessel with burnished gold panels.

6. fol. 48v, the Presentation in the Temple, within a gothic interior in which liquid gold hairline strokes pick out carved human figures in the wooden panelling behind the altar.

7. fol. 52v, the Flight into Egypt, the Virgin and Child with bright gold haloes.

8. fol. 58v, the Dormition of the Virgin, with the Virgin reclined on a bier surrounded by followers, one who puts a sceptre in her hand, another holds a processional cross, while others read from an open book and another takes off his glasses to contemplate the Virgin.

9. fol. 77r, the Crucifixion.

10. fol. 80r, Pentecost, the Virgin seated reading with the apostles.

11. fol. 83r, King David in prayer within a colourful gothic bedchamber.

12. fol. 101r, Christ raising a half-naked Lazarus, wrapped in a white shroud, from his grave.

13. fol. 143r, the Trinity with Christ, God the Father and the Holy Dove supporting an open Bible between them, all on a large gold and blue mandorla.

14. fol. 149r, St. Christopher with detailed features, carrying the Child across a stream, as a man in black robes heightened with liquid gold and a pink cloak holds up a lantern.