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This Book of Hours for the Use of Rome was probably made in the vicinity of Carpentras, in Provence, around the middle of the fifteenth century; Saint Siffredus, patron of Carpentras's principal church, is commemorated in the calendar on 27 November (fol. 11v). It contains a calendar (fols. 1r-12v), the Hours of the Virgin (fols. 13r-69v), the Hours of the Holy Cross (fols. 70r-73r), the Hours of the Holy Spirit (fols. 73v-76r), the Office for the Dead (fols. 76v-110r), the seven Penitential Psalms, a Litany, and prayers (fols. 110v-133v) all in Latin, and a poem dedicated to the Virgin (fols. 137r-143v) in French. Twelve large miniatures with ivy-leaf/ spray borders inhabited by animals, insects, birds, and human figures mark most of the divisions between and within these texts. The subjects depicted are the Annunciation (fol. 13r), the Nativity (fol. 32r), the Annunciation to the Shepherds (fol. 36r), the Presentation in the Temple (fol. 39v), the Adoration of the Magi (fol. 42v), the Coronation of the Virgin (f. 50v), the Crucifixion (fol. 70v), the Trinity (fol. 73v), a funeral (fol. 76v), King David praying (fol. 110v), and the Virgin and Child twice (fols. 129r and 137r). The costume of the black magus in the Adoration of the Magi miniature (fol. 42v) suggests a terminus post quem of circa 1450, rendering the gilt ivy-leaf borders–typical of the earlier fifteenth century–outmoded. The style of this manuscript's miniatures has been described as "childlike," but the liberal use of gilding and its extensive colour palette do not suggest second-rate production.
Support: Parchment; Extent: ii+146+ii; 208 x 140 mm bound to 220 x 150 mm; Foliation: Modern foliation in pencil, upper right recto, unfoliated single leaves after fols. 15, 18; Collation: 1 (12), 2-15 (8), 16 (6), 17-18 (8); Catchwords: Downward-facing catchwords in ink, lower right last verso, most partly trimmed, a few trimmed away entirely
One column of fifteen lines; frame-ruled in red ink; written area: 110 x 65 mm
Gothic--textualis semi-quadrata
Twelve large miniatures with spray borders, thirteen decorated initials, initials with penwork and line fillers throughout
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.
Two flyleaves front and back; outer flyleaves paper, inner flyleaves parchment
Two lines erased on fol. 62v
Poem in French at end of volume (see Jean Sonet, Répertoire d'incipit de prières en ancien français, no. 695) written in bâtarde (fols. 137r-143v)
Verses, antiphons, and responses written in smaller script
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.
Carpentras?, Provence, France
The presence of Saint Siffredus in the calendar (fol. 11v) might suggest Carpentras as this manuscript's place of origin, as the cathedral there was dedicated to this saint; circa 1450
Early nineteenth-century French marbled calf, with deterioriation from acid used for marbling, gilt-tooled; gilt spine, spine title: "Heures Antique"
Latin; Middle French (ca. 1400-1600)
Note in French on verso of penultimate flyleaf, sixteenth century; Henri-Auguste Brölemann (Lyons, 1755-1854; armorial bookplate, inside front cover); Thierry Brölemann (Lyons, 1854); Madame Étienne Mallet; Maggs Bros. (London), catalog 512 (1928), no. 535 and catalog 542 (1930), no. 97 (clipping pasted inside front cover); Philip S. Collins (bookplate, front flyleaf); gift of Mary Schell Collins in memory of her husband, 1945
Carpentras?, Provence, France
The presence of Saint Siffredus in the calendar (fol. 11v) might suggest Carpentras as this manuscript's place of origin, as the cathedral there was dedicated to this saint; circa 1450
Latin; Middle French (ca. 1400-1600)
Note in French on verso of penultimate flyleaf, sixteenth century; Henri-Auguste Brölemann
This Book of Hours for the Use of Rome was probably made in the vicinity of Carpentras, in Provence, around the middle of the fifteenth century; Saint Siffredus, patron of Carpentras's principal church, is commemorated in the calendar on 27 November (fol. 11v). It contains a calendar (fols. 1r-12v), the Hours of the Virgin (fols. 13r-69v), the Hours of the Holy Cross (fols. 70r-73r), the Hours of the Holy Spirit (fols. 73v-76r), the Office for the Dead (fols. 76v-110r), the seven Penitential Psalms, a Litany, and prayers (fols. 110v-133v) all in Latin, and a poem dedicated to the Virgin (fols. 137r-143v) in French. Twelve large miniatures with ivy-leaf/ spray borders inhabited by animals, insects, birds, and human figures mark most of the divisions between and within these texts. The subjects depicted are the Annunciation (fol. 13r), the Nativity (fol. 32r), the Annunciation to the Shepherds (fol. 36r), the Presentation in the Temple (fol. 39v), the Adoration of the Magi (fol. 42v), the Coronation of the Virgin (f. 50v), the Crucifixion (fol. 70v), the Trinity (fol. 73v), a funeral (fol. 76v), King David praying (fol. 110v), and the Virgin and Child twice (fols. 129r and 137r). The costume of the black magus in the Adoration of the Magi miniature (fol. 42v) suggests a terminus post quem of circa 1450, rendering the gilt ivy-leaf borders–typical of the earlier fifteenth century–outmoded. The style of this manuscript's miniatures has been described as "childlike," but the liberal use of gilding and its extensive colour palette do not suggest second-rate production.
Two flyleaves front and back; outer flyleaves paper, inner flyleaves parchment
Two lines erased on fol. 62v
Poem in French at end of volume (see Jean Sonet, Répertoire d'incipit de prières en ancien français, no. 695) written in bâtarde (fols. 137r-143v)
Verses, antiphons, and responses written in smaller script
Gothic--textualis semi-quadrata
Twelve large miniatures with spray borders, thirteen decorated initials, initials with penwork and line fillers throughout
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.
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