ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT BOOK OF HOURS, Use of Rouen
156•
ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT
BOOK OF HOURS, Use of Rouen, illuminated manuscript on vellum, in Latin, 99 leaves, plus later endpapers, 17 lines in black/brown ink in a gothic bookhand, ruled in red (justification 100 x 65mm.), rubrics in red, numerous 3- and 2-line initials, decorated in colours on a gold ground, 1-line initials in gold on coloured grounds, 7 miniatures, all but one in arch-topped compartments (c.84 x 64mm.) with borders on 3 sides with scrolling leaves, fruit and flowers in blue, red, green, gold and black, the other in a square compartment (112 x 80mm.) with full architectural borders, 8 further leaves with additional borders to outer margins, extending into upper and lower margins to varying degrees, lacking one or more leaves at the end (the very end of the Office of the Dead), remains of old green silk markers or guards at gutter of each leaf bearing a miniature, first leaf of calendar (January) slightly rubbed, occasional smudging, very light rubbing and staining, affecting small portions of some miniatures, seventeenth century dark calf, gilt, upper and lover cover with central gilt "IHS" emblems, panelled spine, 168 x 118mm. , [Northern France, Rouen, c.1490-1500]
Sold for £15,600 inc. premium

Footnotes

  • Contents: ff. 1-12v Calendar; 13-20r Gospel extracts; 20v blank; 21-24r "O intemerata", 24v blank; 25-62r Hours of the Virgin, incorporating short Hours of the Cross and Holy Spirit (25 Matins; 33 Lauds; 43 Hours of the Cross; 44v Hours of the Holy Spirit; 45v Prime; 49v Terce; 52 Sext; 54 Nones; 56v Vespers; 58v Compline); 63-76v Penitential Psalms; 77-99 Office of the Dead, wanting the last few lines on what would have been f. 100.

    Illumination: the decoration of this Book of Hours is of a type associated with Rouen in the last quarter of the fifteenth century with six of the seven miniatures presented in the arch-topped compartments typically found throughout the century. The Annunication miniature is the exception, being a large square miniature with classical columns to either side and a jewelled pediment below. While the miniature is almost certainly by same hand as the others, the border is of a more modern style and place the manuscript at the very end of the century.

    f. 13r St John on the Isle of Patmos
    f. 25r The Annunciation
    f 43r The Crucifixion
    f. 44v The Visitation
    f. 45v The Nativity
    f 63r Kind David at prayer
    f. 77r Death appearing (in the form of three corpses) to three horsemen

    Text: The Hours of the Virgin and the Office of the Dead are of the Use of Rouen and the calendar includes the feast of St Romanus (patron saint of Rouen) in red on 23 October. The Office of the Dead lacks one leaf, with the closing lines of the text. The final gathering consists of 5 leaves only, suggesting the loss of one or more leaves with some additional prayers after the Office.

Category: Books / Books, Maps and Manuscripts

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