"[Book of Hours Leaf]", Kerver, Thielman

This leaf is from the brief transitional period when the new technology of printing with movable type was combined with the more labor intensive methods of hand painting. The earliest printers were trained in the manuscript tradition and incorporated the conventions of historiated initials and illustrations into their early work. At first they left those spaces blank for the illuminator to complete entirely by hand. Later they developed printing methods (using woodcuts or iron engravings) to decorate the leaves.

A rare vellum leaf from a Parisian Book of Hours, made during the transitional period when printing and illumination were combined. The printers at that time used the same type of letters that were used by the scribes, so the result looked like a manuscript. The initials, line fillers and border were then added by hand. This leaf includes a superb border decoration on recto with a bird, a butterfly, and flowers. Beginning with the large "M" on recto, the text translates as:

You who are the Author of Salvation
remember that you once assumed
the condition of our body, being born
of a spotless Virgin.

Mary, mother of grace
Mary, Mother of Mercy
You protect us from the enemy
and in the hour of death you welcome us.

Glory to you Lord,
That you were born of the Virgin,
With the Father and the Holy Spirit,
for endless centuries. Amen.

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Condition: B+

Light soiling with rubbing of the three large initials on recto.