Beschreibung:

BOOK OF HOURS, use of Rome, in Latin, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM. [Bruges, ca. 1440] 86 x 69 mm. 221 leaves, collation: 3 preliminary leaves, 1-2 6 3-14 8 15 6 16-18 8 19 6 20-25 8 26 8 + 3 (miniatures on single leaves after 2/6, 3/4, 3/8, 5/5, 8/6, 11/3, 12/7, 13/4, 14/1, 14/6, 15/3, 15/6, 17/3, 18/7, 21/3). COMPLETE. Ruled in red, justification 57 x 36 mm., 14 lines, written in brown ink in a liturgical minuscule bookhand, rubrics in red, one- and two-line initials in gold or blue illuminated with penwork decoration and on most pages with outer or inner bar border of burnished gold, 15 FINE ILLUMINATED FIVE-LINE INITIALS, WITHIN THREE-QUARTER BAGUETTE BORDERS SURROUNDED BY FULL BORDERS OF HAIRLINE STEMS WITH GOLD IVY LEAVES AND SPRAYS OF ACANTHUS, inhabited throughout by fabulous beasts, facing the 15 FULL-PAGE ARCHED MINIATURES, within similar borders. (All borders cropped, particularly at head, otherwise in fine condition.) 17th-century gilt-tooled red calf, edges gilt TEXT: The 3 preliminary leaves are clearly later additions, containing Versus Sancti Bernhardi , followed by a half-page miniature of Christ's face wearing a crown of thorns, faced by Cursus de Passione domini within a wide gold border, dated 1500. Calendar (f.1), Hours of the Cross and of the Holy Ghost (f.14), Mass of the Virgin (f.24), Hours of the Passion (f.38), Hours of the Virgin (f.64), Lauds (f.86), Prime (f.100), Terce (f.106), Sext (f.112), None (f.119), Vespers (f.125), Compline (f.135), Advent Office of the Virgin (f.141), Seven Penitential Psalms (f.154), Office of the Dead (f.172) DECORATION: An attractive small manuscript, in the style of the Bruges group of artists known under the collective name of the Master of the Golden Scrolls (cf. Dogaer, Flemish Miniature Painting in the 15th and 16th Centuries (1987) pp.27ff). The artist does not seem to have been a member of that workshop, but was very influenced by them. It is unfortunate that the unusually flamboyant border decoration has been cropped when the book was rebound. THE SUBJECTS OF THE MINIATURES ARE: folio 13v. Crucifixion, Christ surrounded by two soldiers, Mary and Mary Magdalen folio 18v. Pentecost folio 23v. Virgin and Child enthroned, an angle holding the crown folio 37v. Christ as the Man of Sorrows, supported by an angel folio 63v. Annunciation folio 85v. Visitation folio 99v. Nativity folio 105v. Annunciation to the Shepherds folio 111v. Adoration of the Magi folio 118v. Massacre of the Innocents folio 124v. Flight into Egypt folio 134v. Presentation in the Temple folio 140v. Death of the Virgin folio 153v. The Last Judgement, Christ on a rainbow, the mouth of Hell below folio 171v. A funeral service, two priests and two mourners