Catalog Archive
Auction 121, Lot 829

"[Book of Hours Leaf]", Anon.

Subject: Medieval Manuscripts

Period: 1450 (circa)

Publication:

Color: Hand Color

Size:
4.5 x 6.6 inches
11.4 x 16.8 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.

An exceptional vellum leaf with elaborate pen work decoration in red, blue and black, especially around the large initials on both sides. There is quite a bit of gold leaf, particularly on the line fillers.

References:

Condition: A

A minor smudge on the verso. Small hole in lower margin, not affecting text.

Estimate: $350 - $450

Sold for: $250

Closed on 9/26/2007

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