Book of Hours, Use of Rome, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum [Northern France (most probably Rouen), c.1490-1500]

Estimate

18,000 - 25,000 GBP

bidding is closed

Description

Vellum

121 leaves (plus 3 original endleaves at back), 205mm. by 150mm., wanting leaves throughout (see below), the entire volume once cut into single leaves and now bound on paper guards, earlier pencil foliation indicating some leaves lost before last binding, single column, 21 lines in black ink in a good late gothic bookhand, one-line initials in gold on pink or blue grounds heightened with white penwork, larger initials in pink or blue on burnished gold grounds and enclosing sprigs of foliage, every page of main text with decorated border panels of acanthus leaves and other foliage on gold and plain vellum shapes, enclosing numerous birds, drollery animals and a small arch-topped miniature of the Virgin (fol.13r), Calendar leaves with similar borders and miniatures in bas-de-page and at top of page showing the occupations of each month and the zodiac symbols, suffrages to the saints with small miniatures of the saints within the border panels (10 miniatures in 6 leaves), four small miniatures set within the text (Evangelists writing and the Virgin, fols.6v, 7v, 9v, 10v), one half-page miniature (the Virgin kneeling before St. Anne, fol.119v), seven three-quarter page miniatures (fol.22v, 31v, 35r, 38v, 42r, 45r, 116r) with full decorated borders, and four full-page miniatures with borders containing other scenes (fols.5r, 64r, 70v, 84r, those on 70r and 84r slightly damaged at side by earlier removal from volume), some small spots (especially of glue) and scuffs, occasional small areas of offset from facing pages, else in fine and presentable condition, modern mottled leather over pasteboards

Catalogue Note

text

The book comprises: a Calendar (fol.1r, wanting 2 leaves for May-June and July-August); Gospel readings (fol.5v); the Obsecro te (fol.10r; in male form with “famulo tuo” on fol.11v); the O intemerata (fol.13r); the Hours of the Virgin, with Matins (fol.15r, wanting first leaf), Lauds (fol.22v), Prime (fol.31v), Terce (35r), Sext (fol.38v), None (fol.42r), Vespers (fol.45r) and Compline (fol.50r, wanting beginning); the Hours of the Cross (fol.64r); prayers (fol.68r, wanting first leaf); the Penitential Psalms (fol.71r, wanting beginning) and a Litany; the Office of the Dead (fol.84v, wanting beginning); and Suffrages to the Saints (fol.116r).

illumination

The miniatures are by a talented artist well-versed in the style of the workshops of Paris around the turn of the sixteenth century. In the larger multi-scene miniatures his skill is most evident, producing portraiture of great pathos and emotion, alongside a wealth of intricate smaller scenes which are full of charm.

The significant miniatures include: (i) 16 scenes accompanying the Calendar: a man warming himself by a fire and Aquarius for January, a couple cooking in a fireplace and Pisces for February, planting seedlings and Aries for March, two lovers seated about to kiss and Taurus for April, crushing wine grapes and Virgo for September, sowing seeds and Scorpio for October, beating the acorns down from the trees for the swine and Sagittarius for November, butchering a hog and Capricorn for December; (ii) fol.5r, full-page miniature, with scenes from the life of St. John, including in the centre the saint being martyred by being boiled alive in oil before a medieval walled city, the saint writing his Gospel and Revelation and in the bas-de-page
his burial in Ephesus; (iii) fol.22v, the Visitation of the Virgin to St. Anne in a woody clearing surrounded by fruit trees; (iv) fol.31v, the Nativity; (v) fol.35r, the Annunciation to the shepherds; fol.38v, the Visitation of the Magi; (vi) fol.42r, the Presentation in the Temple; (vii) fol.45r, the Massacre of the Innocents, with a kneeling woman before Herod holding her child as a soldier outside murders another; (viii) fol.64r, full-page miniature, with the Crucifixion surrounded by Garden of Gethsemane, the Kiss of Judas and Christ carrying the Cross, 2-line burgundy panel with “domine labia mea aperis” in liquid gold ornamental capitals; (ix) fol.70v, full-page miniature, with David killing Goliath, surrounded by scenes of David harping, being anointed, cutting off Goliath’s head and presenting it to Saul, David in Saul’s court and his escape through a window as he is lowered down in a basket; (x) fol.84r, God the Father with the Christ child, seated before angels who play music, surrounded by five other scenes including three green devils torturing a person in chains as flames lick from the ground; (xi) fol.116r, the Virgin displaying her breast and Christ displaying his wounds, below God the Father; (xii) fol.119v, half-page miniature of the Virgin kneeling before St. Anne as she sits reading from an open book.