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BOOK OF HOURS LEAFRef 529 recto
This is a leaf from a Book of hours that was for the Use of Rome and was produced in France at either Paris or Burgundy c.1400.
The text is the opening of the Penitential Psalms, Psalm 6 from the beginning through to verse 8.
The size of the leaf is 141mm x 103mm (5 11/20ins. x 4 1/20ins.).
On the recto is a large miniature of Christ in Majesty fully described against the detail scan. It is more or less surrounded by bar borders of burnished gold and colours and branches of burnished gold and coloured leaves.
PROVENANCE: -
A
The leaf was folio 117 in a Book of Hours that was Lot 61, in Sotheby's, London, auction of Medieval Manuscripts and Miniatures on 1st. December 1987 and described as for the Use of Rome and as being made in either Paris or Burgundy, c.1400. It sold for £7,260 (including buyer's premium). The provenance set out in that catalogue was: -
1. Elegant French “international gothic” Books of Hours of around 1400 are usually (and no doubt rightly) ascribed to workshops in Paris where the booktrade was flourishing as never before. The text here, however, is not characteristically Parisian. A very unusual name in the calendar is St. Merri (Medericus, 29th. August); he died on a pilgrimage to Paris but was a Bergundian saint, abbot of St-Martin d'Autun (P. Perdrizet, Le Calendrier à la Fin du Moyen Age, 1933, p.214.
2. In Italy in the fifteenth century, and bought by a nun in 1453: “Liber iste est Sororis Margerite de gilino, quem ipsa emit a frabcisco pincerna de mense Martii anni 1453” (inscription at front and back). The O intemerata at the front is added in an Italian hand and so are the additions to the calendar and ff.18v-20 and 115. At the end are two inscriptions in Hebrew recording that the book was pledged for 6 ducats by Lorenzo on 14th. April 1462.
3. Bought in Ferrara in the seventeenth century: Emptus ferrarie anno 1628 a me Mutio Btido pretio 12-” (inscription on flyleaf).
4. Bought in Livorna (Leghorn) by Sir Charles Frederick, 30th. August 1738 (signature at front); his manuscripts were sold by Gerard, London, 5th. July 1786.
5. John Paget (1761-1825), of Newberry House and Cranmore Hall, Somerset, with signature dated 1793; by descent to the present owner.
B
The Book of Hours reappeared as Lot 107 in Sotheby's, London, auction of Medieval Manuscripts and Miniatures on 5th. December 1989 when it sold for £8,800 (including buyer's premium).
GENERAL COMMENTS: -
Whilst the miniature is a little smudged around the bottom of the bench and the inside edge of the recto is a little grubby, this is a superb leaf with an image that is infrequently seen at vthe opening of the Penitential Psalms.
BOOK OF HOURS LEAFRef 529 recto
This is a leaf from a Book of hours that was for the Use of Rome and was produced in France at either Paris or Burgundy c.1400.
The text is the opening of the Penitential Psalms, Psalm 6 from the beginning through to verse 8.
The size of the leaf is 141mm x 103mm (5 11/20ins. x 4 1/20ins.).
On the recto is a large miniature of Christ in Majesty fully described against the detail scan. It is more or less surrounded by bar borders of burnished gold and colours and branches of burnished gold and coloured leaves.
PROVENANCE: -
A
The leaf was folio 117 in a Book of Hours that was Lot 61, in Sotheby's, London, auction of Medieval Manuscripts and Miniatures on 1st. December 1987 and described as for the Use of Rome and as being made in either Paris or Burgundy, c.1400. It sold for £7,260 (including buyer's premium). The provenance set out in that catalogue was: -
1. Elegant French “international gothic” Books of Hours of around 1400 are usually (and no doubt rightly) ascribed to workshops in Paris where the booktrade was flourishing as never before. The text here, however, is not characteristically Parisian. A very unusual name in the calendar is St. Merri (Medericus, 29th. August); he died on a pilgrimage to Paris but was a Bergundian saint, abbot of St-Martin d'Autun (P. Perdrizet, Le Calendrier à la Fin du Moyen Age, 1933, p.214.
2. In Italy in the fifteenth century, and bought by a nun in 1453: “Liber iste est Sororis Margerite de gilino, quem ipsa emit a frabcisco pincerna de mense Martii anni 1453” (inscription at front and back). The O intemerata at the front is added in an Italian hand and so are the additions to the calendar and ff.18v-20 and 115. At the end are two inscriptions in Hebrew recording that the book was pledged for 6 ducats by Lorenzo on 14th. April 1462.
3. Bought in Ferrara in the seventeenth century: Emptus ferrarie anno 1628 a me Mutio Btido pretio 12-” (inscription on flyleaf).
4. Bought in Livorna (Leghorn) by Sir Charles Frederick, 30th. August 1738 (signature at front); his manuscripts were sold by Gerard, London, 5th. July 1786.
5. John Paget (1761-1825), of Newberry House and Cranmore Hall, Somerset, with signature dated 1793; by descent to the present owner.
B
The Book of Hours reappeared as Lot 107 in Sotheby's, London, auction of Medieval Manuscripts and Miniatures on 5th. December 1989 when it sold for £8,800 (including buyer's premium).
GENERAL COMMENTS: -
Whilst the miniature is a little smudged around the bottom of the bench and the inside edge of the recto is a little grubby, this is a superb leaf with an image that is infrequently seen at vthe opening of the Penitential Psalms.