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Book of Hours, Use of Rome (Collins Hours) 1945‑65‑4
Department of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs
Manuscript Overview
References
Binding Images

Abstract

This manuscript is a mid-fifteenth century Book of Hours for the Use of Rome, probably made in Flanders for a female patron. It is elaborately illuminated in a combination of French and Flemish styles by an artist known from this manuscript as the Collins Master. It contains twenty-six full-page illuminations with full borders inhabited by twisting human figures and angels undertaking actions related to the content of the large miniatures and with matching full borders on the facing text pages. The text begins with an unillustrated calendar (fols. 1r-12v) and is followed, somewhat unusually, by the Hours of the Cross (fols. 14r-26r), which is illustrated with eight full-page miniatures illustrating Christ's Passion from the Arrest through to the Harrowing of Hell (the miniature for Sext opposite fol. 19r is missing). The Gospel Lessons (fols. 28r-36v) are illustrated by four full-page miniatures each showing an Evangelist. The Mass of the Virgin follows (fols. 38r-42v), introduced by a full-page miniature of the Virgin and Child. The Hours of The Virgin (fols. 44r-105v) is fully illustrated by full-page miniatures for each section. The Penitential Psalms, Litany, and Prayers (fols. 108r-127v), the Office of the Dead (fols. 129r-169r), O intemerata (fols. 171r-172v), and Obsecro te (fols. 174r-176v) are each introduced by a full-page miniature. The three prayers that follow, the Stabat Mater, a prayer to the Crucifix, and a prayer to Saint Francis, each lack their corresponding miniatures (opposite fols. 177r, 179r, and 181r); an excised miniature from this manuscript, which may have faced the Stabat Mater, was sold in Paris, Hôtel Drouot, 14 November 1975, lot 41. The Suffrages (fols. 183-187r) are illustrated with full-page miniatures and are dedicated to Saint Catherine, Mary Magdalene, and Saint Susanna, the latter illustrated by a scene representing Christ with the Woman Taken in Adultery (fol. 186v). An inscription inside the front cover records the correction of the manuscript at the instruction of the Inquisition in 1579, and text has been crossed out in two places (fols. 99r, 176v).

Physical Description

Support: Parchment; Extent: i+187+i; 200 x 140 mm bound to 213 x 155 mm; Foliation: Modern foliation in pencil, 1-188, upper right recto; Collation: 1-2 (6), 3 (8, +1 +3 +5 -7 +7), 4 (7, +1 +3 +5), 5 (13, +1 +3 +6 +9 +11), 6 (7, +4), 7-8 (4), 9 (11, +7), 10 (7, +1), 11 (10, +1 +5), 12 (10, +1 +5), 13 (8, +1 +2), 14 (6, +1 +2), 15 (9, +1), 16 (8), 17 (9, +5), 18-21 (8), 22 (7, +6), 23 (8, +2 -6 +6), 24 (11, -1 +1 -4 +4 +6 +8 +10)

Layout

Written in seventeen long lines; frame-ruled in faint red or purple (fols. 124r-132v) ink; written area: 110 x 70 mm

Script

Gothic--textualis semi-quadrata

Decoration

Twenty-six full-page arched miniatures with foliate borders containing human and animal figures, five-line and smaller illuminated and decorated initials inside foliate borders on facing pages; Hours of the Cross illuminated with an unusual cycle of miniatures from the Betrayal to the Harrowing of Hell (fols. 14r-26r; Crucifixion miniature at the beginning of Sext is missing, before fol. 19); Infancy cycle in the Hours of the Virgin (fols. 43v-105v); on many leaves, simple bar borders in gold, blue, and pink on the left margin with foliate extensions at top and bottom; illuminated line fillers throughout; rubrication in red

For a full list of Decorations in this manuscript please see the Content and Decorations section by clicking on the [i] button in the top left corner of the image viewer above.

These are pages that we pulled aside that disrupted the flow of the manuscript reader. These may be bindings, inserts, bookmarks, and various other oddities.

Spine

Fore edge

Top edge

Bottom edge

Keywords
Book of Hours
15th century
Flemish
French
Illumination
Miniature
Flanders
Devotion
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Department of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs

Place of Origin

Bruges?, Flanders?

Date

Circa 1445-1450

Binding

Nineteenth-century velvet with two earlier silver clasps, probably Flemish; vermilion-stained edges

Language

Latin

Provenance

Corrected at the instruction of the Inquisition, 1579 (Spanish inscription by Dominican friar Juan Perez, inside front cover); gift of Mrs. Philip S. Collins in memory of her husband, 1945

return to search Book of Hours, Use of Rome (Collins Hours) 1945‑65‑4

Place of Origin

Bruges?, Flanders?

Date

Circa 1445-1450

Language

Latin

Provenance

Corrected at the instruction of the Inquisition, 1579

Manuscript Overview

Abstract

This manuscript is a mid-fifteenth century Book of Hours for the Use of Rome, probably made in Flanders for a female patron. It is elaborately illuminated in a combination of French and Flemish styles by an artist known from this manuscript as the Collins Master. It contains twenty-six full-page illuminations with full borders inhabited by twisting human figures and angels undertaking actions related to the content of the large miniatures and with matching full borders on the facing text pages. The text begins with an unillustrated calendar (fols. 1r-12v) and is followed, somewhat unusually, by the Hours of the Cross (fols. 14r-26r), which is illustrated with eight full-page miniatures illustrating Christ's Passion from the Arrest through to the Harrowing of Hell (the miniature for Sext opposite fol. 19r is missing). The Gospel Lessons (fols. 28r-36v) are illustrated by four full-page miniatures each showing an Evangelist. The Mass of the Virgin follows (fols. 38r-42v), introduced by a full-page miniature of the Virgin and Child. The Hours of The Virgin (fols. 44r-105v) is fully illustrated by full-page miniatures for each section. The Penitential Psalms, Litany, and Prayers (fols. 108r-127v), the Office of the Dead (fols. 129r-169r), O intemerata (fols. 171r-172v), and Obsecro te (fols. 174r-176v) are each introduced by a full-page miniature. The three prayers that follow, the Stabat Mater, a prayer to the Crucifix, and a prayer to Saint Francis, each lack their corresponding miniatures (opposite fols. 177r, 179r, and 181r); an excised miniature from this manuscript, which may have faced the Stabat Mater, was sold in Paris, Hôtel Drouot, 14 November 1975, lot 41. The Suffrages (fols. 183-187r) are illustrated with full-page miniatures and are dedicated to Saint Catherine, Mary Magdalene, and Saint Susanna, the latter illustrated by a scene representing Christ with the Woman Taken in Adultery (fol. 186v). An inscription inside the front cover records the correction of the manuscript at the instruction of the Inquisition in 1579, and text has been crossed out in two places (fols. 99r, 176v).

Script note

Gothic--textualis semi-quadrata

Decoration Note

Twenty-six full-page arched miniatures with foliate borders containing human and animal figures, five-line and smaller illuminated and decorated initials inside foliate borders on facing pages; Hours of the Cross illuminated with an unusual cycle of miniatures from the Betrayal to the Harrowing of Hell (fols. 14r-26r; Crucifixion miniature at the beginning of Sext is missing, before fol. 19); Infancy cycle in the Hours of the Virgin (fols. 43v-105v); on many leaves, simple bar borders in gold, blue, and pink on the left margin with foliate extensions at top and bottom; illuminated line fillers throughout; rubrication in red

For a full list of Decorations in this manuscript please see the Content and Decorations section by clicking on the [i] button in the top left corner of the image viewer above.

References
Binding Images

These are pages that we pulled aside that disrupted the flow of the manuscript reader. These may be bindings, inserts, bookmarks, and various other oddities.

Spine

Fore edge

Top edge

Bottom edge

Keywords
Book of Hours
15th century
Flemish
French
Miniature
Flanders
Devotion
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Department of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs
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