The Hours, Hymnary, and Evangeliary of Pierre de Bièvre, Use of Paris, in Latin [France (Paris), c.1470-80]

126x83mm, vellum, i+167+i, complete, 21 quires of 8 leaves, except i6, v8+1 (f.39 singleton), 31 lines, 82x48mm, 5 LARGE AND ONE SMALLER MINIATURES in elaborate frames, 13 LARGE HISTORIATED INITIALS, small illuminated initials and line-fillers; in a 19th-century hand, 'au Cadet Marquet' on f.1r; some wear and staining, some flaking of pigments, small tear at fore-edge of first leaf; 16TH-CENTURY RICHLY GILT CALF BINDING with the Crucifixion and the letter ‘S’ at front, and the Annunciation at back, covers and spine with a semée of trefoils, with a matching trefoil clasp, rather worn and perhaps expertly repaired, gilt edges, fitted case

A BOOK OF HOURS WITH AN UNUSUAL LAYOUT FOR THE DECORATION, AND AN EXCEPTIONAL SELECTION OF TEXTS, IN A FINE 16TH-CENTURY BINDING

provenance

(1) Written and illuminated in Paris, perhaps for use on the Île de la Cité. The calendar includes not only Geneviève (3 Jan., in red, and 26 Nov.) and Marcel (3 Nov., in red, with octave), but also the 'Dedicatio sacre capelle' (i.e. the Ste Chapelle, 26 Apr.), the 'Susceptio sancte corone' (i.e. the Crown of Thorns, at the Ste Chapelle, 11 Aug.), and the 'Susceptio reliquiarum' at Notre Dame (4 Dec.). The extremely unexpected inclusion of a Hymnary and Evangeliary, occupying almost half of the volume, suggests that the original patron may have been a cleric, perhaps connected with the cathedral or the royal chapel.

(2) Inscribed, late 15th or 16th century, 'Pierre de Bièvre, le sire veneux et serviteur de Madame' (f.168r; i.e. hunting-groom and man-servant of Madame).

(3) Private collection of James E. and Elizabeth J. Ferrell, the present owners (bookplate with initials).

text and illumination

Calendar (f.1r); Gospel extracts (f.7r); ‘Obsecro te’ (f.9v), ‘O intemerata’ (f.11r); a devotion to the Conception of the Virgin, and several others to her (f.13r); Hours of the Virgin, Use of Paris, with Matins (f.15r), Lauds (f.24r), Prime (f.28r), Terce (f.30v), Sext (f.32r), None (f.33v), Vespers (f.34r), Compline (f.37v); added hymn to John the Baptist (f.39r); Penitential Psalms (f.40r), litany (f.44v), petitions and 3 collects; Hours of the Cross (f.47r) and of the Holy Spirit (f.49r); Office of the Dead, Use of Paris (f.51r); Mass and other prayers (f.70v); Verses of St Bernard (f.77r); suffrages to the Conception of the Virgin, and saints (f.77v); Hymnary (f.84r), beginning with ‘Nocte surgentes …’ and ‘Primo dierum ...’; Gloria and Credo (f.95r); Evangeliary from the first Sunday in Advent (f.96r) to the feast of St Andrew (f.167r), including the Passion according to Matthew (f.134r), Mark (f.142r), Luke (f.147v), and John (f.153r).

This jewel of a manuscript was illuminated by MAÎTRE FRANÇOIS, one of the leading artists in Paris in the third quarter of the fifteenth century. He is known to be the documented painter of a two-volume French translation of Augustine’s Cité de Dieu (Paris, BnF, fr.18-19), bearing the arms of Charles de Gaucourt, Governor of Amiens and appointed Lieutenant General of Paris in 1472. Robert Gaguin, a general of the Trinitarian order (see also lot 60), wrote to Gaucourt in 1473 that after sending the iconographic program and directions for the miniatures for the Cité de Dieu to the celebrated painter François ('egregius pictor Franciscus'), he approved of the completed work, praising his perfect craftsmanship. Maître François has now been identified with François Le Barbier who lived in the 1460s on the bridge of Notre-Dame (see M. Deldicque in Revue de l'Art, no.183, 2014, pp.9-18). François was a very successful illuminator who worked for members of the court and the aristocracy in Paris. This volume makes no exception.

The subjects of the large miniatures are: (1) f.15r, Annunciation; (2) f.40r, David praying to God; (3) f.47r, Crucifixion, in a border of precious stones and pearls; (4) f.49r, Pentecost; (5) f.51r, The Three Living and Three Dead.

There is also an extremely unusual, perhaps unique composition depicting the Trinity, the Coronation of the Virgin by angels while nursing the Child, and the Pietà, all in one small composite miniature (f.14v).

The subjects of the historiated initials are: (1) f.7r, John on Patmos; (2) f.7v, Luke; (3) f.8v, Matthew; (4) f.9r, Mark; (5) f.9v, the Virgin and Child, the Child with the Wounds of the Passion; (6) f.11r, the Virgin and Child adored by angels; (7) f.24r, Visitation; (8) f.28r, Nativity; (9) f.30v, Annunciation to the Shepherds; (10) f.32r, Adoration of Magi; (11) f.33v, Presentation in the Temple; (12) f.35r, Flight into Egypt; (13) f.37v, Coronation of the Virgin.