note (text)
This Book of Hours was produced in Flanders in the first quarter of the sixteenth century. It contains a calendar (fols. 5r-16v), followed by the Gospel Lessons for John, Luke, and Matthew and the Passion narrative according to John (fols. 17r-38v), the Hours of the Virgin for the Use of Rome (fols. 39r-93v, missing the first page and miniature for Vespers between fols. 80 and 81), the Hours of the Cross and Hours of the Holy Spirit, intercalated, followed by Seven Penitential Psalms, Litany, and Prayers (fols. 94r-132r), and Vespers for the Office of the Dead (fols. 132v-139r). The book contains fourteen large miniatures accompanied by illusionistic scrolls for the text below, representing the Annunciation (fol. 39r), Nativity (fol. 63r), Annunciation to the Shepherds (fol. 68r), Adoration of the Magi (fol. 73r), Presentation in the Temple/Circumcision (fol. 77r), Coronation of the Virgin (fol. 89r), Christ before Annas (fol. 94r), Christ before Caiaphas (fol. 95v), Pilate washing his hands (fol. 98r), Christ crowned with Thorns (fol. 100v), the Carrying of the Cross (fol. 104v), Crucifixion (fol. 105v), and Resurrection (fol. 108r). Additionally, the book contains seven smaller miniatures inset into the text, representing Saint John on Patmos (fol. 17r), the Visitation (fol. 50v), Caiaphas sending Christ to Pilate (fol. 96v), the Flagellation (fol. 99r), the Man of Sorrows (fol. 101v), Deposition (fol. 107v), and King David in Prayer (fol. 110r), 132v - Job in prayer. Unusually, the miniature for Nones of the Hours of the Virgin represents the Circumcision (fol. 77r), while the intercalated Hours of the Cross and Hours of the Holy Spirit contain a complete cycle of miniatures representing the Passion.
note (deco)
17 full-page miniatures, 5 half-page miniaturesred, blue, and gold decorated initials and line fillers throughout
binding
S. XXin blue morocco, gilt stamped decoration, marbled paper pastedowns, bound by H. Zucker of Philadelphia. Stamped on spine in gold: "Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis", "Latin Ms.", and "XV. Century".
note (history)
Ex libris of J. D. Moyreau, Med., written in ink on fol. 1r. Notes in French on fol. 2r; pencil notes of Lewis on fol. 3r, "no. 245 from the sale of W. J. Gilbert June 7 1909 Philadlphia $140."
provenance
Dr. J. D. Moyreau (18th century); W. J. Gilbert, St. Louis (sold 1909); John Frederick Lewis, Philadelphia
