Beschreibung:

BOOK OF HOURS, use of Rouen, in Latin and French, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM [Rouen, c.1470] 153 x 113mm. 130 leaves: 1 1 2, 2 8, 3 6, 4-8 8, 9 4, 10-11 8, 12 7(of 8, iii lacking, probably with miniature), 13-15 8, 16 5(i-iii singletons), 17 8, modern foliation miscounted and not followed here, 15 lines written in brown ink in a gothic bookhand between two verticals and 16 horizontals ruled in pink, justification: 91 x 61mm, rubrics in red, text capitals touched yellow, one- and two-line initials of burnished gold against grounds of pink and blue with white decoration, similar line-endings, three-line initials with staves of blue against burnished gold grounds with trefoil spray in the infill, all two-line initials accompanied by a panel border of naturalistic flowers and gold foliage on hairline tendrils, three-line initials with three-sided borders of sprays of blue and gold acanthus and flowers on hairline tendrils with gold terminals, FIVE ARCH-TOPPED MINIATURES accompanied by full-page similar borders with grey and white acanthus, naturalistic flowers, four on divided or full grounds of green and inhabited by an angel, naked man, fantastic figures, birds and animals (minor marginal worming to f.1, several initials smudged or offset, a few with loss of gold, some rubbing to miniatures and borders with pigment loss, mainly affecting faces or borders, 7 leaves with dark brown stain to lower corner affecting one full-page border, occasional minor surface soiling). Later vellum. PROVENANCE: 1. Both the style of illumination and liturgical uses of the Hours of the Virgin and of the Dead, and the feasts of the Calendar (with St Romain, 23 October, and Marcial, 3 July, in gold) indicate that this Hours was made in Rouen, for use in that diocese. 2. Indications of early ownership appear throughout, with pen trials and added prayers in French and Latin, in an early 17th-century hand; a metalpoint drawing of a mermaid is visible under ultra-violet light on the verso facing the opening of the Hours of the Cross. CONTENT: Calendar ff.1-12; Gospel extracts ff.13-18; Obsecro te and O Intemerata ff.18v-26; Office of the Virgin, use of Rouen ff.27-70: matins f.27, lauds f.37, followed by Suffrages to the Holy Spirit, Trinity, Sts Michael, John the Baptist, Nicholas, Catherine, Margaret, All Saints, Peace, prime f.51, terce f.56, sext f.58v, none f.61, vespers f.63v, compline f.66, added prayer in a different hand f.70; Seven Penitential Psalms and Litany ff.71-88; added prayer in a different hand f.88v; Hours of the Cross (lacking opening) ff.89-90v; Hours of the Holy Spirit ff.91-93v; Office of the Dead, use of Rouen, ff.94-122v; Joys of the Virgin ff.123-128; Doulce Dieu ff.128v-130v. ILLUMINATION: Although this Hours shows signs of use and wear, it nevertheless contains the very appealing attributes typical of manuscripts issuing from the workshop of the Master of the Geneva Latini. Borders are populated with a snail, peacock, birds and the charming figure of an angel, as well as fantastic half-figures. The familiar compositions and decorative vocabulary of the workshop's production are found in the miniatures, namely the elaborately articulated architecture, textiles patterned in gilt, and interiors leading out to distant landscapes. The subjects of the miniatures are as follows: f.27 Annunciation f.51 Nativity f.71 David Praying f.91 Pentecost f.94 Funeral Service