Beschreibung:

BOOK OF HOURS, use of Rome,in Latin, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM [Northern Italy, Milan or Genoa?, late 15th century] 87x60mm, 218 leaves, complete, except for one missing text leaf, collation: 1-11 8 12 6 13-15 8 16 10 17 8 18 10 19-25 8 26 6 27 10 , with catchwords, (16/2, i.e. f.120 replaced by a blank leaf at an early period), 13 lines, justification 57x41mm, written in brown ink in a gothic rotunda, rubrics in red, one-line initials in gold, blue or red with penwork flourishing, two-line initials throughout in gold on blue and red ground with white tracery, one large miniature (flaked) and 9 LARGE HISTORIATED INITIALS (6- to 8-line), on gold ground, all within full borders of painted flowers (borders rubbed and severely cropped, last 15 ff waterstained, ink on a few text pages faded), 17th-century calf gilt (very skilfully rebacked), edges gilt PROVENANCE: (1) Made for Franciscan use, the calendar, litany and the iconography point to this. The calendar also has St.Gotthard, bishop of Hildesheim (5 May), who is venerated in Northern Italy, particularly at Genoa. An armorial in the border of f.17 has been erased. (2) 17th-century prayer added on blank f.120, with erased ownership inscription below. (3) Signature and ownership inscription in Russian of S.Ushakov, dated 1929 TEXT (f.1) Calendar. (f.17) Hours of the Virgin, Matins. (f.33) Lauds. (f.50v) Prime. (f.56v) Terce. (f.61v) Sext. (f.66v) None. (f.71v) Vespers. (f.80v) Compline. (f.95) Penitential Psalms, Canticles and Litany. (f.144) Office of the Dead. (f.201v) Hours of the Cross. (f.208v) Indulgences granted by Pope Clement VI and various prayers. ILLUMINATION This is most unusual as, apart from the Annunciation miniature, the various hours of the Virgin are introduced by historiated initials representing saints. Unfortunately, all the borders are rubbed and cropped. The subjects of the miniatures are: folio 17. Annunciation. The Virgin standing in a doorway, trees at back (severe flaking) folio 50v. St.Peter holding a key. Historiated initial on gold ground folio 56v. St.Francis, holding a book. Historiated initial on gold ground folio 61v. St.Peter Martyr, holding a palm branch, a knife cutting his head. Historiated initial on gold ground folio 66v. St.Bernardino of Siena, holding a book and a tablet. Historiated initial on gold ground folio 71v. St.Bartholomew holding a knife. Historiated initial on gold ground folio 80v. St.Stephen, as a deacon, holding a palm branch. Historiated initial on gold ground folio 95. King David Historiated initial on gold ground folio 144. Death crowned, holding a scroll. Historiated initial on gold ground folio 201v. Christ crucified, half length portrait. Historiated initial on gold ground