"[Book of Hours Leaf]", Anon.

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 flowers and two birds, one of whom has caught a worm. Beginning with the large "M" on recto, the text translates in part as:

Be mindful author of our health, That thou sometime didst take on thee Of a pure virgin being born, The form of our humanity. Mary that mother art of grace, Of mercy mother also art, Save and defend us from our foe, Receive us when we hence depart. Glory be unto thee O Lord, That born was of the virgin pure, With the father and the holy Ghost, All ages ever to endure. Amen.

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Condition: B+

Light soiling with rubbing of the first large initial on recto.