Book of Hours, Use of Rouen, illuminated manuscript in Latin and French, on vellum [Flanders (probably Hainault), c.1480]

84 leaves (2 blank), 221mm. by 160mm., wanting a few leaves (perhaps with miniatures), collation: i^{4, ii7 (i a singleton), iii8, iv6, v-vi8, vii3, viii6, ix2, xi6 (i and ii singletons), xii8 (i and viii singletons), xiii8, xiv4, ruled in red for 20 lines of a fine lettre bâtarde in brown ink, capitals touched in yellow, rubrics in faded red, numerous one- and 2-line initials in gold on blue and pink grounds, ten 3- or 4-line initials in blue heightened with white penwork and coloured foliate infill, all on burnished gold grounds, six 8-line historiated initials in same (fols.52r-54v),} seven small rectangular miniatures (fols.61v-64v), six large rectangular miniatures (fols.5r, 8r, 9r, 51r, 58r, 75v), ten three-quarter page arch-topped miniatures (fols.7r, 11r, 16v, 23r, 26r, 28r, 30r, 32r, 35v, 43r), one full-page arch-topped miniature (fol.4v), some small stains but overall in good condition with wide and clean margins, modern red leather over pasteboards, in card slipcase

provenance

1. Written and illuminated for the female patron in the miniature on fol.4v. Owned in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries by the d'Ablancourt family, with their records on flyleaves at back.

2. Sir Thomas Phillipps (1792-1872); his MS.2614, acquired from Thorpe; apparently from collection of Juan de Iriarte (1702-71), Spanish palaeographer and bibliophile (Munby, Phillipps Studies III, p.149).

3. Frederick Fermor-Hesketh, 2nd Baron Hesketh (1916-55); presumably acquired from the Robinsons, and by descent to the present owner.

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

text

The text comprises a Calendar (fol.1r); Gospel readings (fol.5r); Hours of the Virgin (fol.10r, beginning imperfectly) with Matins (fol.11r), Lauds (fol.17v), Prime (fol.23r), Terce (fol.26r), Sext (fol.28r), None (fol.30r), Vespers (fol.32r), Compline (fol.35v); Obsecro te and O intemerata (fol.38r); Penitential Psalms (fol.43r) with a Litany (fol.49r); Hours of the Cross (fol.51r, beginning imperfectly); Hours of the Holy Spirit (fol.56r); Hours of St. Barbara (fol.56r); Suffrages of Saints (fol.61v); Office of the Dead (fol.65r, opening imperfectly); and the Passion of Christ from the Gospel of John (fol.76r).

illumination

This large and striking manuscript presents a number of intriguing questions, and is deserving of future study. The style of the miniatures points towards French-Flanders, and perhaps Hainault, while the borders include both traditional rinceaux work and brightly illuminated panels in the Ghent-Bruges style. The Calendar, however, contains a large number of Norman and Breton saints: SS. Honorine (27 Feb), Opportuna (22 April, abbess of Montreuil), Turien (13 July, archbishop of Dol, Brittany), Samson of Dol (28 July) and Mellon (22 October, first bishop of Rouen), but not the patron saint of Rouen: Romanus. This book was perhaps written and illuminated in Hainault or its vicinity, closely following a Rouen exemplar.

The significant illuminations are:

(1) folio 4v, full-page miniature of the Pietà, with a kneeling female patron and her attendant to the left, later border of gold acanthus leaves over variegated grounds. (2) folio 5r, large square miniature, quartered and containing symbols of Evangelists, each holding a scroll with their names. (3) folio 7r, three-quarter miniature of the Presentation in the Temple, the Virgin kneeling before the altar holding the child. (4) folio 8r, square miniature, 88mm. by 90mm., the Annunciation to the Virgin, within a rich gothic interior with blue pillars. (5) folio 9r, rectangular miniature, 87mm. by 75mm., the Assumption of the Virgin, supported by four angels all before a blue night's sky. (6) folio 11r, three-quarter page miniature, the Annunciation to the Virgin, the angel holding a scroll with the inscription "Ave gratia plena dominus teum"; bas-de-page with foliage and dog-like drollery creature with a human head. (7) folio 16v, square miniature, 85mm. by 85mm., the Visitation of the Virgin to St.Anne. (8) folio 23r, three-quarter miniature of the Nativity; borders enclosing a naked woman and a jester baring their bottoms at each other in the bas-de-page. (9) folio 26r, three-quarter miniature of Annunciation to the shepherds; bas-de-page containing foliage and two chickens. (10) folio 28r, rectangular miniature, 90mm. by 100mm., the Adoration of the Magi; borders enclosing a man and a bird. (11) folio 30r, three-quarter miniature of the Flight into Egypt; bas-de-page with drollery-creatures, birds and animal-masks. (12) folio 32, three-quarter miniature of the Presentation in the Temple; peacock in border. (13) folio 35v, three-quarter miniature of the Coronation of the Virgin. (14) folio 43r, three-quarter miniature of King David kneeling in prayer; borders enclosing criss-crossing scroll inscribed with Psalm 24:18 and animal mask. (15) folio 51r, square miniature, 89mm. by 80mm., of Christ in Gethsemane; bird-headed drollery reaching between its own legs to peck at its bare bottom in border. (16) folio 55v, three-quarter miniature of Pentecost. (17) folio 58r, square miniature, 88mm. by 85mm., of St. Barbara. (18) folio 75v, rectangular miniature, 89mm. by 109mm., of the Cross surrounded by the instruments of the Passion.