Catalog Archive
Auction 103, Lot 586

"[Illuminated Leaf]", Anon.

Subject: Medieval Manuscripts

Period: 1450 (circa)

Publication: Book of Hours

Color:

Size:
4.7 x 5.6 inches
11.9 x 14.2 cm
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Book of Hours were prayer books designed for the laity, but modeled on the Divine Office, a cycle of daily devotions, prayers and readings, performed by members of religious orders and the clergy. Its central text is the Hours of the Virgin. There are eight hours (times for prayer ): Matins, Lauds. Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers and Compline. During the Middle Ages, the leaves making up a Book of Hours were written by hand on expensive parchment and beautifully illuminated with jewel-like pigments and gold leaf. These illuminated manuscripts combined the collaborative efforts of an array of highly skilled craftspeople; requiring the joint labors of the parchmenter, professional scribes to write the text in Gothic script, artists to illuminate the pages with decorations, and masterful binders to complete the process.

Fine vellum leaf from a French Book of Hours. Both sides are decorated with panels of flowers and acanthus leaves and filled with numerous illuminated initials and line fillers painted in red, blue, white and gold. The text is in a neat gothic bookhand in black/brown ink and is from Psalm 39:7.

References:

Condition: A+

Estimate: $275 - $325

Sold for: $220

Closed on 6/11/2003

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