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This manuscript is a Book of Hours made for the use of Paris in the early fifteenth century. While it is mostly written in Latin, its Calendar (fols. 1r-12v), triple graded in gold, red, and ultramarine, is written in French, as are the accessory prayers (fols. 240r-248v). The book opens with a calendar, in French (fols. 1r-12v), followed by the Gospel Lessons (fols. 13r-18v) and the Hours of the Virgin for the Use of Paris (fols. 19r-93v, lacking its first page with a miniature), Penitential Psalms, Litany, and Prayers (fols. 94r-115v), Hours of the Cross (fols. 116r-125v), Hours of the Holy Spirit (fols. 126r-132v, lacking its first page with a miniature), and Office of the Dead (fols. 133r-183v). Further sections consist of the O intemerata (fols. 184r-187v) and Obsecro te (fols. 188r-191v) prayers, Suffrages (fols. 192r-225r), and Masses of the Holy Spirit, Virgin, Trinity, and Dead (fols. 225v-239v), all of which are unillustrated. A discrete final section contains three prayers in French: the Fifteen Joys of the Virgin (fols. 240r-244r), the Seven Requests to Our Lord (fols. 244v-246v), and a prayer to the True Cross (fols. 247r-248v). The twelve large miniatures that accompany the beginning of most major sections are related to the work of the Boucicaut Master. They represent the Visitation (fol. 45r), Nativity (fol. 57v), Annunciation to the Shepherds (fol. 64v), Adoration of the Magi (fol. 70r), Presentation in the Temple (fol. 75r), Flight into Egypt (fol. 80r), Coronation of the Virgin (fol. 88r), Maiestas Domini/Christ Blessing Chalice and Host (fol. 94r), Crucifixion (fol. 116r), Funeral Service (fol. 133r), Virgin and Child (fol. 240r), and Christ in Judgment (f. 245v). They are accompanied by lavishly illuminated foliate borders as well as illuminated initials and some marginal figures and drolleries, such as in the case of folio 94r, where two Jews are depicted holding banderoles with text written in Latin.
Support: Parchment; Extent: ii+250+ii; 206 x 145 mm bound to 220 x 165 mm; Foliation: Modern foliation in upper right hand corner; Collation: 1 (12), 2 (6), 3 (8, -1), 4-11 (8), 12 (4), 13-16 (8), 17 (8, -1), 18-20 (8), 21 (9, +1), 22 (8); Catchwords: Horizontal on bottom center verso
One column of fifteen lines; ruled in red ink; written area: 60 x 100 mm
Gothic--textualis semi-quadrata
Twelve large miniatures; illuminated borders throughout; illuminated initials 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.
Paper flyleaves are loose; water damage on a number of pages; several leaves missing
Calendar and prayers on fols. 240r-248v in French
Two front flyleaves, one eighteenth-century paper followed by one parchment; two end flyleaves, one parchment followed by eighteenth-century paper
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.
Paris?, France
Early 15th century
French, eighteenth century, black morocco, gold tooled, spine stamped in gold: MISS. MA. S.S. SWO VELIN; by Bozerian (?)
Latin; Middle French (ca. 1400-1600)
Library of Edwin H. Lawrence (sale of 1894); Henry Yates Thompson; his sale London, Sotheby's, May 14, 1902; collection of Clarence S. Bement (1843-1923), Philadelphia (bookplate inside front cover); Joseph E. Widener, Philadelphia (ex-libris inside front cover); given by his children, Josephine Widener Wichfeld and Peter A. B. Widener, to the Free Library of Philadelphia in 1944, in memory of their father
Paris?, France
Early 15th century
Latin; Middle French (ca. 1400-1600)
Library of Edwin H. Lawrence
This manuscript is a Book of Hours made for the use of Paris in the early fifteenth century. While it is mostly written in Latin, its Calendar (fols. 1r-12v), triple graded in gold, red, and ultramarine, is written in French, as are the accessory prayers (fols. 240r-248v). The book opens with a calendar, in French (fols. 1r-12v), followed by the Gospel Lessons (fols. 13r-18v) and the Hours of the Virgin for the Use of Paris (fols. 19r-93v, lacking its first page with a miniature), Penitential Psalms, Litany, and Prayers (fols. 94r-115v), Hours of the Cross (fols. 116r-125v), Hours of the Holy Spirit (fols. 126r-132v, lacking its first page with a miniature), and Office of the Dead (fols. 133r-183v). Further sections consist of the O intemerata (fols. 184r-187v) and Obsecro te (fols. 188r-191v) prayers, Suffrages (fols. 192r-225r), and Masses of the Holy Spirit, Virgin, Trinity, and Dead (fols. 225v-239v), all of which are unillustrated. A discrete final section contains three prayers in French: the Fifteen Joys of the Virgin (fols. 240r-244r), the Seven Requests to Our Lord (fols. 244v-246v), and a prayer to the True Cross (fols. 247r-248v). The twelve large miniatures that accompany the beginning of most major sections are related to the work of the Boucicaut Master. They represent the Visitation (fol. 45r), Nativity (fol. 57v), Annunciation to the Shepherds (fol. 64v), Adoration of the Magi (fol. 70r), Presentation in the Temple (fol. 75r), Flight into Egypt (fol. 80r), Coronation of the Virgin (fol. 88r), Maiestas Domini/Christ Blessing Chalice and Host (fol. 94r), Crucifixion (fol. 116r), Funeral Service (fol. 133r), Virgin and Child (fol. 240r), and Christ in Judgment (f. 245v). They are accompanied by lavishly illuminated foliate borders as well as illuminated initials and some marginal figures and drolleries, such as in the case of folio 94r, where two Jews are depicted holding banderoles with text written in Latin.
Paper flyleaves are loose; water damage on a number of pages; several leaves missing
Calendar and prayers on fols. 240r-248v in French
Two front flyleaves, one eighteenth-century paper followed by one parchment; two end flyleaves, one parchment followed by eighteenth-century paper
Gothic--textualis semi-quadrata
Twelve large miniatures; illuminated borders throughout; illuminated initials 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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