Beschreibung:

BOOK OF HOURS, use of Paris, in Latin and French, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM [Paris, ca. 1470] 175 x 120 mm., 141 leaves + 2 medieval flyleaves, collation: 1 6 , 2-7 8 , 8-9 6 , 10-17 8 , 18-20 4 , (lacking one leaf 16/5 in the Suffrages, else complete). 21 lines, ruled in red, justification 105 x 62mm., written in brown ink in a gothic textura, rubrics in blue, versal initials in gold on blue and red ground with white tracery and similar line-fillers, two-line initials in blue on gold ground infilled with foliage, calendar in double column with 24 SMALL CALENDAR MINIATURES within three-quarter borders, outer panel borders of acanthus leaves and coloured flowers on gold ground on every page, many containing droleries, grotesque figures and beasts, 17 SMALL MINIATURES each within three-quarter border and 16 LARGE MINIATURES within arched compartments and full borders. Early red silk velvet over thick pasteboard (somewhat worn and frayed), later silk endleaves, edges gilt. PROVENANCE: Made for the use of Paris for the woman shown kneeling in the miniature on f.109 (although the Obsecro te is for male use). The calendar singles out in gold the feasts of SS. Genevieve (also in the Litany), Louis, Denis and Marcel, Bishop of Paris. 19th-century bookplate of Robert Heron. On the flyleaf a note of the number of miniatures (mis-count) in a 17th-century hand. TEXT: f. 1-6 Calendar; f.7 Gospel Sequences; f.11 Obsecro te; f.13v O intemerata; f.16 Hours of the Virgin, Matins; f.31v Lauds; f.39 Prime; f.43 Terce; f.46 Sext; f.49 None; f.52 Vespers; f.57 Compline; f.61 Hours of the Cross; f.64 Hours of the Holy Ghost; f.67 Penitential Psalms; f.80 Office of the Dead; f.109 Quinze joies de la Vierge 'Doulce dame' [Leroquais II p.310]; f.113 Les sept requêtes a notre Seigneur 'Doulx dieu' [Leroquais II p.309]; f.115v Suffrages to the Trinity, SS. Michael, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, Peter and Paul, Sebastian, Nicolaus, Anne, Mary Magdalen, Catherine, Margaret, Genevieve; f.122 Passion according to St. John; f.131v Verses of St. Bernard; f.134 Prayers to the Lord; f.138 Prayers to the Virgin, Stabat Mater. DECORATION: The miniatures were executed by three different artists. The main artist responsible for 13 of the miniatures was apparently a close follower of the Master of Jean Rolin II, the atelier named by Eleanor Spencer 'Master of the Horloge de Sapience ', after a manuscript now in Brussels. The figures here are well drawn, with a muted, quite delicate palette and fine colours. Related manuscripts are in the Walters Art Gallery MS 251 and in the Pierpont Morgan Library M 282. The second artist responsible for the Annunciation to the Shepherds and the Adoration belonged to the circle of the Maitre Francois. The figures are very well and firmly drawn in luminous colours. Finally the third artist who painted only the Nativity was probably also a member of the atelier of the Maitre Francois, but less accomplished than the others. THE SUBJECTS OF THE LARGE MINIATURES ARE: folio 7. St. John on Patmos, writing folio 16. Annunciation. The Virgin reading, behind her a large red bed folio 31v. Visitation folio 39. Nativity folio 43. Annunciation to the Shepherds. Two shepherds in a field surrounded by a wattle fence folio 46. Adoration of the Magi folio 49. Presentation in the Temple folio 52. Massacre of the Innocents, two soldiers killing a woman holding a child, Herod on his throne at back folio 57. Coronation of the Virgin. She is kneeling before Christ folio 61. Crucifixion folio 64. Pentecost. Virgin and Apostles in a gothic chamber folio 67. King David playing his harp folio 80. The Raising of Lazarus folio 109. Virgin enthroned holding the Child, an angel beside her, the owner of the manuscript kneeling before her holding a book folio 113. Salvator Mundi folio 122. The Betrayal. Christ and Judas in the foreground, soldiers behind. This is smaller, little more than half the size of the other large miniatures THE SUBJEC