Title: Book of Hours, Use of Paris, Circa 1420. Illuminated Manuscript on Vellum from France. From the Circle of the Boucicaut Master
Condition: Good
An early 15th century illuminated Book of Hours, inscribed in a flowing gothic script, likely produced in Paris, and from the Circle of the Boucicaut Master, with a very loose connection to the Master of the Berry Apocalypse.
There are several factors which point to this conclusion, starting with the saints venerated in the calendar, such as Saint Deni, Lubin de Chartres, Germain, Landry, and others. The style of illumination, namely to the checkered backgrounds of the miniatures also leads credence to this. The thorny border designs are also reminiscent of other Books of Hours from Northern France.
The style of illumination can be linked to the Circle of the Boucicaut Master, with a very loose connection to the Master of the Berry Apocalypse. The style utilized here is significantly less complex and more of a simple style designed for rapid execution, but the palette remains the same, with different shades of green, blue, pink, brown, and beige, noted on folio 103. If one compared to the Berry Apocalypse manuscript MS M.133 held in the Morgan Library, you can see on folio 16v shrubs and plants in olive green, in a manner similar to the Announcement to the Shepherds and David at Prayer in this manuscript. The halo for Gabriel on folio 12 is found in MS M.133 for Saint John and John the Baptist on folio 71. The miniature of the Annunciation is exceedingly similar to that of the manuscript from the Boucicaut Workshop held in the Bodleian Library, being MS. Canon. Liturg. 75. The Flight into Egypt holds a strong similarity to another manuscript from the Boucicaut Workshop held in the BnF, being Latin 1161. David at Prayer is comparable to yet another manuscript from the Boucicaut Workshop held in the Bodleian Library, being MS. Douce 80, and more specifically, folio 101. The more unique scene of the Office of the Dead seems to be somewhat inspired by the Belles Heures of Jean de France, held at the Met Cloisters.
This Book of Hours is written in a 15-line format (9.5 x 6 cm), with the Calendar written in a 17-format (9 x 5 cm).
This Book of Hours is illuminated throughout, with 11 large three-quarter page miniatures, many still bright and shining. Each one is accompanied by a large 3 to 4-line initial illuminated with gold leaf, decorated with illuminated borders with acanthus leaves, foliage, and trawling vines accompanying those large initials. There are hundreds of 1 and 2-line illuminated initials on a red and blue background, as well as numerous red and blue line fillers throughout, all enhanced with illumination. The decoration belongs to the "brins de fantaisie" Ornamentalist, who was active during the first quarter of the 15th century.
The miniatures are as followed:
Folio 12r depicts the Annunciation, where the Virgin Mary is visited by the angel Gabriel, during her reading. She is sheltered underneath a green and red canopy against a checkered background
Folio 30v depicts the Visitation, where the Virgin and Elizabeth are atop a hill, also against a checkered background
Folio 39r depicts the Nativity, with a donkey and ox present to warm an infant Jesus in his manger. Joseph is depicted to the right side
Folio 43v depicts the Announcement two the shepherds, who are dazzled by the angel appearing to tell them about the birth of Jesus, with blue skies and shrubs in the background
Folio 46v depicts the Adoration of the Magi, where they come to honor the arrival of the Infant Jesus, with a hill and background present
Folio 49r depicts the Presentation in the Temple, where the Virgin presents the Infant Jesus to the high priest. There is also a maid carrying a basket of turtledoves and a candle
Folio 52r depicts the Flight to Egypt, with a hill behind the Virgin and Joseph, also against a checkered background
Folio 57r depicts the Coronation of the Virgin, with God the Father blessing her
Folio 61r depicts King David at prayer, with a landscape, hills and shrubs behind, his harp next to him, and God the Father in the sky
Folio 82r depicts the Crucifixion, with St. John and the Virgin standing to the sides
Folio 102r depicts the Funeral Procession, with Three Monks at prayer in a cemetery, with a corpse wrapped in a shroud
This Book of Hours, is structed in the following form:
ff 1-11v contains the calendar, with identifying names localizing the usage, such as Saint Denis (February 13), Saint Lubin de Chartres (May 27), Saint Germain (June 10), Saint Landry (July 24), Saint Marcel (July 27), Saint Denis of Paris (October 9), Saint Gratien of Tours (23 October), Saint Geneviève (November 26)
ff 12-60v contains the Hours of the Virgin
ff 61-81v contains the Seven Penitential Psalms, followed by the litanies of the saints including those for Saint Marcel, Gervais, Protais, and Geneviève
ff 82-85v contains the Hours of the Cross
ff 86-87v contains the Hours of the Holy Spirit, though the omission of the miniature for Pentecost has resulted in the beginning of the Holy Spirit lacking
ff 88-89v contains the Obsecro te, though the omission of the miniature for the Virgin and Infant Jesus has resulted in the beginning of the Obsecro te lacking
ff 90-93 contains the O intemerata, though a miniature appears to be lacking, as is the beginning of the text
ff 93v-97v contains the Pericopes
ff 98-99 contains the 15 Joys of the Virgin, though there is missing text and a miniature lacking
ff 99v-101v contains the Orations to the Virgin
ff 102- 136 contains the Office of the Dead, though it is an unidentified Office
There are an additional five leaves on vellum at the end, which have been written by a completely different hand, with an utterly different style of illumination and line fillers, more likely dating to the second half of the 15th century.
Credit for the vast majority of the information provided in this writeup thus far is largely in thanks to Mr. Roch de Coligny, founder and director of the firm Honore D’urfe, specializing in medieval manuscripts, seals, and Russian Art.
The volume is in a 16th century brown calf binding, with a medallion to the covers, displaying the Crucifixion to the front, and Annunciation to the rear.
The manuscript itself has been heavily trimmed by a 16th century owner, causing some of the vine illumination to be lost, though the miniatures and much of the bordering illumination are thankfully left intact. The more likely possibility for this is that the owner wished to reduce the size of the manuscript, enabling for better mobile transport, though still an unsightly decision to sacrifice some of that illumination. Were it not for the trimming, the manuscript in its original binding would have likely stood several centimetres taller.
The month of January is lacking from the calendar, folio 81 is blank, and folio 128 has had an initial cut out. Roughly 3 miniatures are lacking.
One illuminated manuscript in 18mo, (12.5 x 9.5 cm), 141 leaves on vellum
This manuscript is in good shape, with some rubbing and wear to the binding, heavier to the spine, with some leather peeling. Some of the illumination and paint has faded, though most of the miniatures and features of the figures are still relatively bright. The miniatures of the Flight into Egypt and the Crucifixion have suffered heavier wear and rubbing. The March calendar leaf is slightly shorn, with minor text loss. There is some soiling throughout, and scattered, marginal staining.