Hore divine virginis Marie, secundum usum Romanum, 1520. A Rare Illuminated Book of Hours Printed on Vellum, and in a Contemporary Binding
Hore divine virginis Marie, secundum usum Romanum, 1520. A Rare Illuminated Book of Hours Printed on Vellum, and in a Contemporary Binding
Hore divine virginis Marie, secundum usum Romanum, 1520. A Rare Illuminated Book of Hours Printed on Vellum, and in a Contemporary Binding
Hore divine virginis Marie, secundum usum Romanum, 1520. A Rare Illuminated Book of Hours Printed on Vellum, and in a Contemporary Binding
Hore divine virginis Marie, secundum usum Romanum, 1520. A Rare Illuminated Book of Hours Printed on Vellum, and in a Contemporary Binding
Hore divine virginis Marie, secundum usum Romanum, 1520. A Rare Illuminated Book of Hours Printed on Vellum, and in a Contemporary Binding
Hore divine virginis Marie, secundum usum Romanum, 1520. A Rare Illuminated Book of Hours Printed on Vellum, and in a Contemporary Binding
Hore divine virginis Marie, secundum usum Romanum, 1520. A Rare Illuminated Book of Hours Printed on Vellum, and in a Contemporary Binding

Hore divine virginis Marie, secundum usum Romanum, 1520. A Rare Illuminated Book of Hours Printed on Vellum, and in a Contemporary Binding

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$15,000.00
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Title: Hore divine virginis Marie, secundum usum Romanum, cum aliis multis folio sequenti notatis una cum figuris apocalipsis et destructio Hierusalem, et multis figuris Biblie insertis, 1520. A Rare Illuminated Book of Hours Printed on Vellum, and in a Contemporary Binding
Author: Catholic Church
Publisher: Paris, impressum Germain Hardouyn
Condition: Very Good

An extremely scarce, early 16th century illuminated Book of Hours printed on vellum, from the workshop of Germain Hardouyn, the miniatures beautifully hand illuminated. This Hours is profusely illustrated throughout, with 17 of 22 full page illuminated metalcut miniatures and 12 smaller illuminated metalcuts depicting various saints. Each and every page is decorated with golden borders, and every full-page miniature is further decorated with burnished gold architectural frames with drawn tassels. Several metalcuts of note include the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Crucifixion, and more. There is also an almanac, dated 1520-1532.

From 1510-1550, the brothers Gilles and Germain Hardouyn produced hundreds of printed Books of Hours from their workshop in Paris. Gilles served as the printer, and Germain was the illustrator, being registered in the Guild of Illuminators, and later printing and publishing under his own sign. With such quality of works being produced from their workshop, these printed Books of Hours could often be mistaken as illuminated manuscripts.

The large miniatures are as followed:

The Frontispiece, the Anatomical or Zodiac Man, the Arrest of Christ, the Annunciation with Adam and Eve in the background, the Annunciation to the Virgin, the Visitation, the Nativity, the Coronation of the Virgin, David Penitent before Nathan, Bathsheba at her bath, the Tale of the Three Living and the Three Dead, Job and the three elders Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, the Crucifixion, the Entombment, Pentecost, the Virgin Mary in Heaven, and the Throne of Grace.

Largely following the large miniatures are 12 illuminated vignettes of Saints gathered in the Suffrages, being of various size, but mostly quarter page.

This Book of Hours is printed in a 29-line format, with hundreds of illuminated 1 and 2-line initials against a red or blue background. There are several larger initials as well, usually accompanying the larger miniatures.

To the front and rear flyleaves are several early inscriptions, being 16th century, and likely belonging to a contemporary owner.

This book of hours is lacking six leaves, being folios 6, 28, 30, 32, 34, and 96.

This Book of Hours is bound in a contemporary calfskin leather binding, with simple tooling designs still present to the covers.

USTC records six existing copies of this edition in libraries.

One finely bound volume in octavo, 90 illuminated leaves on vellum

This volume is in very good shape, with some rubbing and wear to the binding. There is soiling and some scattered ink staining throughout, and the vellum has become stretched in places.