USE OF ROME

A MEDIEVAL ILLUMINATED VELLUM MANUSCRIPT BOOK OF HOURS IN LATIN, WITH 36 LARGE AND SMALL MINIATURES BY THE MAITRE DU LIVRE DE LA CHASSE DE PHILIPPE DE CLEVES

Published by ca. 1470-80, Low Countries [probably Bruges], 1470

186 x 135 mm. (7 3/8 x 5 1/4"). Single column, 20 lines in a gothic book hand. i (blank), 108, i (blank) leaves (bound too tightly for a close collation, but APPARENTLY COMPLETE). Contents: Calendar (f. 1r); Gospel Lessons (f. 7r); Hours of the Holy Cross (f. 11r); Hours of the Holy Spirit (f. 15r); Mass of the Virgin (18r); "Obsecro te" (f. 21r); "O Intemerata" (f. 23r); Suffrages (f. 24r); Hours of the Virgin (f. 33r); Office of the Virgin as said throughout Advent (f. 71r); Penitential Psalms (f. 76r); Litany and petitions (f. 81v); Office of the Dead (f. 87r). HANDSOME RENAISSANCE ENTRELAC BINDING (upper joint and parts of spine very skillfully repaired), covers with a gilt floral border surrounding a central panel of gilt strapwork design with traces of original polychrome painting, raised bands, spine gilt in compartments, original bosses and catchplates (clasps renewed), all edges gilt. Rubrics in red, numerous one-line initials in blue with red penwork, or gold with dark purple penwork, many two-line initials in burnished gold on pink and blue ground with white highlights, most of these with floral sprays extending into the margins, 22 SMALL MINIATURES (measuring approximately 45 x 37 mm.), each with panel borders of colorful acanthus and flowers at the top and bottom of the page, connected by a strand of gilt bezants, and 14 FULL-PAGE MINIATURES, each surrounded by a full border of acanthus, flowers, and bezants, the facing pages also with full borders and a large six-line initial painted pink or blue, filled with swirling vines and flowers, on gilt and painted ground. Subjects of the large miniatures being: Crucifixion (f. 10v); Pentecost (f. 14v); Virgin and Child (f. 17v); Annunciation (f. 32v); Visitation (f. 42v); Nativity (f. 49v); Annunciation to the Shepherds (f. 52v); Adoration of the Magi (f. 55v); Presentation in the Temple (f. 58v); Massacre of the Innocents (f. 61v); Flight into Egypt (f. 66v); Coronation of the Virgin (f. 70v); David in Prayer (f. 75v); Raising of Lazarus (f. 86v). Front pastedown with a 16th century inscription (see below); rear pastedown with a 17th century ownership inscription in ink, signed François le Paige. Lower joint a bit rubbed, margins with a little soiling and occasional wrinkle, fore-edge border rule just grazed by binder in a few places (the other borders quite ample), miniatures with tiny chips, light fading or rubbing in a couple places, etc., but IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, the attractive period binding very well preserved, with boards showing virtually no signs of wear, the vellum generally clean and bright, and the miniatures fresh and richly colored. This is an extensively illustrated Book of Hours preserved in an especially attractive early binding, with richly colored miniatures attributed to the Master of Philip of Cleves' "Book of the Hunt." Active in the Low Countries from approximately 1470-90, this artist was patronized by some of the area's wealthiest elite, and is known to have collaborated with another important illuminator called the Bruges Master of 1482. Some trademarks of our painter include faces with subtle blue shading; high, arched eyebrows; thin golden halos; and women with very straight, shoulder-length hair highlighted with strands of gold. Outdoor scenes often contain narrative elements in the distance, such as the figures of a young David and Goliath in the miniature of King David at Prayer, or pagan idols dropping from a column in the Flight into Egypt, recalling a popular apocryphal tale of pagan relics miraculously falling to pieces as the Holy Family passes by. Some miniatures of note (in addition to these two) are the Raising of Lazarus for the Office of the Dead--a popular alternative to funeral images, particularly among Flemish illuminators--and the Massacre of the Innocents for the hour of Vespers, a particularly violent episode in which King Herod commands his soldiers to slaughter the male infants of Bethlehem. Like other miniatures in t. Seller Inventory # CLe2501

Bibliographic Details

Title: USE OF ROME
Publisher: ca. 1470-80, Low Countries [probably Bruges]
Publication Date: 1470