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This manuscript is a thirteenth century Psalter-Hours made in northern France, likely Amiens. It features twelve full-page miniatures constituting a prefatory cycle of the life of Christ, in addition to seventeen historiated initials. The prefatory cycle (fols. 1v-12r) comprises two miniatures per page. At least one bifolium containing illustrations of the culmination of Christ's Passion is missing. The calendar (fols. 13r-18v) is decorated with two roundels per page showing the Sign of the Zodiac and Labor of the Month respectively. The Psalter and canticles (fols. 19v-195r) are illustrated with historiated initials. The litany (fols. 195v-199v) is illustrated with a historiated initial showing a Procession of relics (fol. 195v). The Office of the Dead (fols. 200r-206r) begins with an initial showing a funeral bier in a church (fol. 200r). The Hours of the Virgin (fols. 208r-234v) contains eight historiated initials showing the canonical iconographies for this cycle. The Penitential Psalms (fols. 235r-242r) are introduced with an historiated initial showing David at an altar, with God raising his hand in blessing (fol. 235r). The illuminations have been attributed to two artists; the illuminator of the prefatory cycle and psalter illuminated another psalter formerly in the collection of the Comte de Boisrouvray as well as a manuscript of Chretien de Troyes's work held at Princeton University, Garrett 125, and MS W. 86 held at the Walters Art Museum. Two other manuscripts are attributed to the Psalter-Hours's second artist: Le Mans, BM, MS 354, and Paris, BnF, MS Fr. 342.
Support: Parchment; Extent: i+242+i; 185 x 125 mm bound to 190 x 130 mm; Foliation: Sporadic modern foliation in pencil, upper or lower right recto; foliation appearing from fol. 199 to the end is one less than the true leaf count; Collation: 1-3 (4), 4 (6), 5 (12, -12), 6-18 (8), 19 (10), 20-31 (8), 32 (4, -1); Signatures: Quires 6-29 signed in modern ink, lower left (gutter) first recto
One column of twenty lines; frame-ruled in lead with double horizontal bounding lines; significantly trimmed edges; written area: 120 x 80 mm
Gothic--textualis semi-quadrata
Thirteen full-page miniatures; seventeen historiated initials with framing bars, some inhabited; twenty-four calendar roundels of the Labors of the Months and the signs of the zodiac; 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.
Tight binding; loss of gold leaf in some miniatures
The hands of two artists have been determined; the artist of the prefatory cycle and psalter also illuminated a psalter in the collection of the Comte de Boisrouvray (Sold at auction Sotheby's, London, July 6, 2000, lot 77), as well as a manuscript of Chretien de Troyes in Princeton, University Library, Garrett 125, and a book of hours in Baltimore, The Walters Art Museum, W. 86; two other manuscripts have been attributed to the second artist: Le Mans, Bibliothèque municipale, MS 354, and Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, MS fr. 342
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.
Amiens?, France
Likely made in Amiens; calendar contains Saints Firminus (25 September, fol. 17r), Honoratus (16 May, fol. 15r), and Fuscian and his companions (11 December, fol. 18v); mid to late 13th century
Late sixteenth-century, French brown morocco fanfare
Latin; Middle French (ca. 1400-1600)
Constance de Foix, wife of Jean de Lévis, Seigneur de Mirepoix, 1332 (obit recorded in calendar for 3 March, fol. 14r); Isabelle de Lévis, daughter of Constance de Foix and dame de la Tour d'Auvergne, 1361 (obit recorded in calendar for 4 April, fol. 14v); count Mielzynski of Pawlowice Castle, Poland ("Pawlowice 1846" inscribed on front cover); Count Max Mielzynski; P. A. B. Widener, Philadelphia (Ex libris of P. A. B. Widener on verso of front flyleaf, fol. i); Joseph E. Widener, Philadelphia, 1915; 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
Amiens?, France
Likely made in Amiens; calendar contains Saints Firminus (25 September, fol. 17r), Honoratus (16 May, fol. 15r), and Fuscian and his companions (11 December, fol. 18v); mid to late 13th century
Latin; Middle French (ca. 1400-1600)
Constance de Foix, wife of Jean de Lévis, Seigneur de Mirepoix, 1332
This manuscript is a thirteenth century Psalter-Hours made in northern France, likely Amiens. It features twelve full-page miniatures constituting a prefatory cycle of the life of Christ, in addition to seventeen historiated initials. The prefatory cycle (fols. 1v-12r) comprises two miniatures per page. At least one bifolium containing illustrations of the culmination of Christ's Passion is missing. The calendar (fols. 13r-18v) is decorated with two roundels per page showing the Sign of the Zodiac and Labor of the Month respectively. The Psalter and canticles (fols. 19v-195r) are illustrated with historiated initials. The litany (fols. 195v-199v) is illustrated with a historiated initial showing a Procession of relics (fol. 195v). The Office of the Dead (fols. 200r-206r) begins with an initial showing a funeral bier in a church (fol. 200r). The Hours of the Virgin (fols. 208r-234v) contains eight historiated initials showing the canonical iconographies for this cycle. The Penitential Psalms (fols. 235r-242r) are introduced with an historiated initial showing David at an altar, with God raising his hand in blessing (fol. 235r). The illuminations have been attributed to two artists; the illuminator of the prefatory cycle and psalter illuminated another psalter formerly in the collection of the Comte de Boisrouvray as well as a manuscript of Chretien de Troyes's work held at Princeton University, Garrett 125, and MS W. 86 held at the Walters Art Museum. Two other manuscripts are attributed to the Psalter-Hours's second artist: Le Mans, BM, MS 354, and Paris, BnF, MS Fr. 342.
Tight binding; loss of gold leaf in some miniatures
The hands of two artists have been determined; the artist of the prefatory cycle and psalter also illuminated a psalter in the collection of the Comte de Boisrouvray (Sold at auction Sotheby's, London, July 6, 2000, lot 77), as well as a manuscript of Chretien de Troyes in Princeton, University Library, Garrett 125, and a book of hours in Baltimore, The Walters Art Museum, W. 86; two other manuscripts have been attributed to the second artist: Le Mans, Bibliothèque municipale, MS 354, and Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, MS fr. 342
Gothic--textualis semi-quadrata
Thirteen full-page miniatures; seventeen historiated initials with framing bars, some inhabited; twenty-four calendar roundels of the Labors of the Months and the signs of the zodiac; 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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