Beschreibung:

BOOK OF HOURS, use of Paris, in Latin, calendar in French, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM. [Tours? by a follower of the Jouvenel Master, ca.1470] 140 x 95mm, 104 leaves (lacking 2 leaves, f.45 probably blank and f.54 Crucifixion); collation: 1 6 2-13 8 (lacking 6/1 and 8/1) 14 4 , 28 lines, ruled in red, justification: 90 x 53mm, written in brown ink in a small bâtarde, rubrics in red, one- and two-line initials in gold on alternating red and blue ground, 24 TEN- TO ELEVEN-LINE MINIATURES each within ¾ border, some parti-coloured on gold ground of gold and coloured flowers, fruit and acorn leaves, 6 LARGE MINIATURES within arched compartments, and full borders with varied decoration, (occasional minor rubbing). 18th-century calf, spine gilt (scuffed at head and foot). PROVENANCE: The first owner's arms (three moor's heads nat. on arg.) are in the border of the miniature of St.Magdalen (f.43v). His initials AR appear in the borders of four of the miniatures. The armorial is not uncommon, but it may here belong to Rigault de Chapdes de Beaufort, a family from Auvergne. The patron also appears in three of the miniatures (on ff 43v, 99 and 100) always in brown Franciscan habit, and it is likely that he may have been a secular Franciscan Tertiary. As the book has the Hours of St. Mary Magdalen, a very rare office, it suggests some connection with the Franciscan convent founded and dedicated to her near Angers by René I d'Anjou in 1452, inspired by a visit to her shrine at Baume-les-Sisteron in Provence. TEXT: (ff 1-6) Calendar; (f.7) Gospel Sequences; (f.10v) Obsecro te ; (f.12v) O intemerata ; (f.15) Hours of the Virgin, Matins; (f.25) Lauds; (f.30) Prime; (f.32v) Terce; (f.34v) Sext; (f.36) None; (f.38) Vespers; (f.41) Compline; (f.43v) Hours of St.Mary Magdalen; (f.46) Penitential Psalms; (f.54) Hours of the Cross; (f.56) Hours of the Holy Ghost; (f.58) Office of the Dead; (f.78) Suffrages to SS Christopher, Catherine, Barbara, Anne, Agatha, Geneviève; (f.86v) Prayers to Apostles etc., (f.87) Salve mater dolorosa ; (f.90) Suffrages to SS Robert, Anthony, Laurence, Denis, Cosmas and Damian, the 10,000 Martyrs and other saints; (f.94v) Prayers before Mass and other prayers; (f.99v) Oraison a nostre seigneur . ILLUMINATION: THE SUBJECTS OF THE LARGE MINIATURES ARE: folio 7. John on Patmos. He is writing on a long scroll, an eagle holding his inkwell, a town in the background. (Very slightly flaked.) The border has oblique green and dark brown branches on gold ground with floral decoration, interspersed are the initials AR . In the lower border a grotesque dragon. folio 15. Annunciation within an arched chamber. The border of gold ground is dissected into small squares filled with flowers and insects, the initials AR , a bird and two angels (border slightly rubbed). folio 43v. The Ascension of Mary Magdalen lifted out of a church by four angels. Below amidst steep craggy rocks the saint clad only in the tresses of her hair is praying, before her the patron kneeling in Franciscan habit. Border of flowers, birds and insects as well as the initials AR on gold ground. Armorial in lower border. folio 46. David praying, God above. Border of thick blue branches, fruit, flowers and birds as well as the initials AR , on gold ground. folio 56. Pentecost, within a border of coloured fruit, flowers and acorn leaves folio 58. The living and the dead. A skeleton carrying the lid of a coffin aiming a spear at a man in a red gown, (somewhat rubbed). Border of thick dark brown branches on blue ground covered with gold fleurs-de-lys. THE SUBJECTS OF THE SMALLER MINIATURES ARE: (f.8) St.Luke; (f.9) St.Matthew; (f.10) St.Mark; (f.10v) The Virgin and Child and an angel playing the harp; (f.12v) Pietà; (f.25) The Visitation; (f.30) Nativity; (f.32v) Annunciation to the Shepherds; (f.34v) Adoration of the Magi; (f.36) Presentation in the Temple; (f.38) Flight into Egypt; (f.41) Coronation of the Virgin; (f.78v) St.Christopher; (f.81) St.Cather