Beschreibung:

BOOK OF HOURS, use of Sarum, in Latin. ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM [Southern Netherlands, c. 1460] 172 x 115mm, 221 leaves (probably lacking 9 or 10 leaves, and partly misbound). Collation mostly in quires of 8ff [1 6 , 2 6 ], ruled in red, justification 88 x 60mm, 17 lines, written in brown ink in a regular lettre bâtarde, rubrics in red, one-to three-line initials in gold on blue and red ground with white tracery, with similar line-fillers, many pages with outer panel border of painted flowers, gold ivy leaves and bezants on hairline stems. THE CALENDAR (lacking November) HAS TWO SMALL MINIATURES FOR EACH MONTH, showing the occupation and sign of the zodiac for the month (many rubbed). 17 LARGE MINIATURES in arched compartments WITHIN FULL BORDERS of painted flowers, acorns and acanthus leaves and gold ivy leaves on hairline stems, and 19 LARGE HISTORIATED INITIALS (mostly 6 or 7 line), also within full borders (many rubbed). Mid-18th-century English red morocco, edges gilt. PROVENANCE: Probably made in the area of Bruges for an English patron. The calendar, apart from the usual Bruges saints, contains saints Chad (2 March), King Edward (18 March), Cuthbert (20 March) and his translation (4 September), Guthlac (11 April), Dunstan (19 May), Botulf (17 June), Oswald (5 August), translation of St. Hugh in red (6 October) and Wulfram (15 October). Anthony Fox (signature in a 16th-century hand); Patrick? Browne (signature dated 1694); given in the 18th century to Iohn Lord (note on first leaf and signature on last); James Marinus Kennedy (early-19th-century bookplate). TEXT: f.1-11 Calendar (lacking November); f.12 The 'Fifteen O's'; f.21v Eight verses of St. Bernard; f.23 Obsecro te , and other Prayers; ff.36-44v Commemoration of the Birth of Christ, followed by Commemoration of the Magi, of the Resurrection, of the Ascension, of Pentecost and of the Holy Sacrament; f.46 Oratio ad proprium angelum , followed by Prayer against the Plague; [f.50, leaf from a Prayer to the Holy Face]; f.51 Memoria ad proprium angelum ; f.52 Suffrages to Saints Ninian, Lucy, Barbara; f.55 Prayer against the Plague; f.57 Prayer for Peace (lacks end); f.58 Hours of the Virgin, Matins (lacking first two leaves); f.67 Lauds (lacking last two leaves); f.76-85 Suffrages to the Holy Trinity, the Cross, the Holy Ghost and various Saints; f.85v Hymn to the Holy Cross; f.86v Prime; f.92v Terce; f.97v Sext; f.104v None (lacking first two leaves); f.104v-112 Vespers; [an unrelated leaf in another hand with a prayer is inserted at f.109]; f.113 Compline; f.120 Salutatio b. Marie ; f.128 Seven Penitential Psalms and Litany; f.158 Office of the Dead; f.202-219 Commendation of Souls; f.220v-221 Table for finding Easter from 1461 to 1470. DECORATION: Although no longer intact, this is a copiously illustrated manuscript and a fine example of Flemish production for the English market. The cycle of illustration is consistent with English use, highlighting scenes from the Passion. The artist is a late follower of Vrelant. His figures are sharply angled and the palette has contrasting colours of cornflower blue, vermilion, green and pink. This may come from the same workshop as a Book of Hours in the National Library of Australia, described by M.M. Manion and V.F. Vines in Medieval and Renaissance Illuminated Manuscripts in Australian Collections no. 54. THE SUBJECTS OF THE LARGE MINIATURES ARE: folio 12. Christ in Majesty (rubbed) folio 35. Nativity (rubbed) folio 37v. Adoration of the Magi folio 39v. Resurrection folio 41. Ascension folio 42v. Pentecost folio 44v. Two angels holding a Monstrance folio 46. A Pilgrim with a devil and an angel folio 67. Betrayal (rubbed) folio 86v. Christ before Pilate (the face of one soldier rubbed) folio 92v. Flagellation (a little rubbed) folio 97v. The Road to Calvary. Christ carrying the Cross surrounded by a crowd, with soldiers, in the background St. Veronica holding the veil. folio 104v. Deposition folio 113. Entombment