Book of Hours of the Virgin

Place of OriginFrance

Dateabout 1500

Dimensions5 3/16 in. (13.2 cm) x 3 7/16in. (page)
5 1/2 x 3 11/16 x 1 in. (binding)
6 3/8 x 4 9/16 x 1 5/8 in. (box)

MediumIlluminated manuscript on vellum: Latin text in roman script, decorated with calendar illustrations, fifteen full-page miniatures in architectural frames, plus 34 tiny illuminations with floral or ornamental borders. Ink, tempera, and brushed or burnished gold on vellum; eighteenth-century binding in red morocco with metal clasps.

ClassificationBooks

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number

1955.28

Not on View

DescriptionBook: 1500; Binding: 18th century in red morocco. 130pp. Copy in doc file of Fig. 44 from Medieval Art, Medieval People: October: calendar illustration of peasants plowing and sowing; November: calendar illustration of peasants feeding pigs with acorns Textual and Iconographical Content: 2: January: (Labors of the Month above, Zodiac Signs below calendar) Man feasting, attended by two servants. Aquarius: water bearer, (with figure swimming) 2v: February: Peasant warming feet by fire; another bringing in wood. Pieces: two fish in lake; (with fisherman). 3: March: Two men pruning vines, another hoeing (?). Aries: the Ram. 3v: April: Two women and a young man picking flowers. Taurus: the Bull. 4: May: Rider with his lady on horse-back, and two attendants. Gemini: Twins with a shield. 4v: June: Three men mowing. Cancer: the Crab (and two fishermen). 5: July: Four men reaping corn. Leo: the Lion. 5v: August: Three men thrashing. Virgo: two virgins holding staffs of wheat. 6: September: Man treading grapes; another bringing in basket of grapes. Libra: the Balance; girl holding scales. 6v: October: One man plowing field; other sowing seed. Scorpio: the Scorpion. 7: November: Two men fattening pigs on acorns. Sagittarius: the Archer. 8: Blank (1. Asterisk indicates a fullpage miniature; others are small, approximately 1 x 1 1/4 inches. 2. Diagonals indicate where lines terminate. 3. T= Text; I=Iconography) 8v-12v: Lessons from the Gospels: 8v: St. John (Opening verses); I*: St. John the Evangelist among the Gentiles with poison chalice and dead soldiers. 9: St. John (Opening verses); T: INITIVM. SANCTI. EVAN./GELii. SECVNDV. IOANNEM. (John1: 1-14); I: St. John on Patmos, with eagle. 10: St. Luke (Annunciation); T: Secundum Lucam. (Luke 1:26-38) Secundum Matheum; I: St. Luke with winged calf. 10v: St. Luke (Annunciation); T: Secundum Matheum. 11: St. Matthew (Adoration of the Magi) Text: IN illo / tempore/ Cum Natus es/ set Iesus (Mathew 2: 1-12); I: St. Matthew, with angel. 11v: St. Matthew (Adoration of the Magi); T: Secundum Marcum 13: Blank 13v-20: The Passion of Christ 13v: The Passion of Christ; I*: The Betrayal; Peter smites off the ear of Malchus. 14: The Passion of Christ Text: Passio domini nostri Iesu christi. Secundum Ioannem.(John 18-19:42); I: Christ led away by the soldiers. 20-23v: Prayers to the Virgin 20: Obsecro Te; T: Ad beatissima virginem Mariam. I: Virgin and Child 22: O intermerata; T: Alia oratio. de virgine Maria. I: Mary and St. John 23v-24v: Seven Prayers of Pope Gregory; T: Septem versiculi bti gregorii pape. I: The Mass of St. Gregory 25: Blank 25v-71: Hours of the Virgin 25v: I: *The Annunciation 26: Hours of Matin; T: Incipit officium diue & imma. / culate virginis; I: Adam and Eve in the Garden 27v: T: Iste psalm & alii duo sequetes dnr / diebus 29: T: Benedictio. 30: T: Lco pma. 30v: T: Lectio Secunda Lectio iii. 31v: T: Canticu sanctor Ambrosii & augus. 32: T: Ad Laudes. 32v-39v: Lauds Hours 32v: I*Augustus and the Sibyl of Tibur 33: T: DEVS IN/ adiuto. / rium; I: The Visitation 40: Blank 40v-43v: Hours of Prime 40v: I*: The Nativity 41: T: Ad primam; I: The Shepherds in Adoration 44: Blank 44v-47v: Hours of Tierce 44v: I: Annunciation to the Shepherds 45: T: AD TERTIAM; I: An Angel Appears to the Shepherds 48: Blank 48v-51v: Hours of Sext 48v: I*: Adoration of the Magi 49: T: AD. SEXTAM; I: The Magi on their Journey 52: Blank 52v-55v: Hours of None 52v: I*: Presentation in the Temple 53: AD.NONAM; I: Holy Family on their way to or from the Temple 56: Blank 56v-61v: Hours of Vespers 56v: I*: The Flight into Egypt 57: T: AD VESPERAS; I: Massacre of the Innocents 62: Blank 62v-71 Hours of Compline 62v: I*: Death of the Virgin 63: T: Ad Coletorium; I: Coronation of the Virgin 71-74v: Hours of the Holy Cross 71v: I*: The Crucifixion 72: T: Ad matutinas de sancta cruce; I: Deposition from the Cross 72v: T: Ad Primam 73: T: Ad Tertiam. Ad Sextam 73v: T: Ad Nonam. 74: T: Ad copleto 75: Blank 75v-78v: Hours of the Holy Spirit 75v: I*: The Pentecost 76: T: Ad matutinas de sancto spiritu; I: God the Father in Glory 76v: T: Ad primam 77: T: Ad tertiam. Ad sextam 77v: T: Ad Nonam. 78: T: Ad vesperas. 78v: T: Recommendatio. 79v-92v: Seven Penitential Psalms, Litany, Prayers 79v: I*: David and Bathsheba 80: T: Sequuntur septem/psalmi pe./ nitentiales. I: David and Uriah 87: T: Letania. 90: T: Psalmus 93: Blank 93v-120v: Office of the Dead 93v: I*: The Raising of Lazarus 94: T: Sequuntur Vigilie mortuoru; I: Job and His Friends 98: T: Ad matutinas. Inuitatory. 101v: T: Lectio Prima. 102: T: Lectio. secuda. 102v: T: Lectio. iii. 106: T: Lectio quarta. 106v: T: Lectio. Quinta. 107: T: Lectio. vi. 111: T: Lectio. Septima. 111v: T: Lectio. viii. 112: T: Lectio Nona. 113: T: In Laudibus 121: Blank 121v-129v: Hours of the Holy Trinity, and Memorials of the Saints 121v: I*: The Trinity 122: T: De Sanctissima trinitate. Sancta trinitasvnus de./ De Sancto Michaele. Archa/ 122v: St. Michael: T: Michael/archa/gele/paradi./ si...; I: St. Michael slaying a Beast 123: John the Baptist/John the Evangelist: T: Interna./ tos mu./ lierum non/ surrexit...; De sancto Ioane evangelista; I: John the Baptist holding a lamb. 123v: Peter & Paul: T: De Sanctis Petro & Paul; I: John the Evangelist holding the Poison Chalice/SS. Peter (with key) and Paul 124: St. James: T: De Sancto Iacobo. LVx & /decus/. I: St. James holding open book and staff. 124v: St. Sebastian: T: De Sancto Sebastiano O ...mi/ ra resul./; I: St. Sebastian pierced with arrows. 125: St. Lawrence: T: De Sancto. Laurentio. Leuita/Lauren./; S. Lawrence with palm and gridiron. 125v: St. Nicholas: T: De Sancto Nicolao. Amicus dei Nicolaus pon/; 126: St. Anthony: T: De sancto Anthonio. Antho./ni pas./; I: S. Nicholas, Bishop, rescuing children in caldron/St. Anthony, holding open book with his pig. 126v: S. Anna: T: De Sancta Anna. Celeste/benefi./; I: S. Anne teaching the Virgin 127: St. Mary Magdalene: T: De sancta Maria magdalena. Maria er/go vn; I: S. Mary Magdalene with box of ointment. 127v: S. Catherine: T: De Sancta KatherinaVirgo sa./ cta/ka/; I: S. Catherine, crowned holding sword and book. 128: St. Barbara: T: De Sancta. Barbara. Gaude/ Barba./ra; I: S. Barbara holding plam, and standing before her tower of captivity. 128v: St. Margaret: T. De Sancta margareta. Virgo sa./ cta Mar./; I: St. Margaret holding cross upon the dragon. 129: St. Apollonia: T: De Sancta. Apolonia. Beata/ Apo./ lonia; I: S. Apollonia kneeling before soldier with pincers. END

Label TextThis richly illuminated BOOK OF HOURS is a noteworthy early example of French Renaissance art. In the calender section, at the beginning of the book, the months are accompanied by a scene depicting an appropriate activity for that time of year and the corresponding zodiac sign. For March, there is a picture of three men pruning trees, and there is the zodiac sign of the ram. The fifteen full-page miniatures include St. John the Evangelist, the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Presentation in the Temple, the Flight into Egypt, the Betrayal, the Crucifixion, the Death of the Virgin, and the Trinity. The detailed compositions include dignified Renaissance architecture or delicate landscapes, all rendered with forceful modeling and brilliant colors. The borders, painted with shadow-casting patterns, are either naturalistic (with sharply defined designs of acanthus, flowers, insects, and butterflies) or decorated with pure Renaissance ornament made of putti and grotesques. This manuscript is in exceptional condition. The script and illuminations are pristine and remarkably fresh, so that one beholds exquisite splendor on each page. Why is this book closed? Because the Museum risks damaging this medieval devotional book by opening it. The book- a collection of prayers, scriptures, and a Church calendar was rebound in the 1700s into its present leather binding. However, it was bound so tightly that opening it cracks the spine, which will eventually damage the pages. This presents a dilemma, since it is a particularly fine example of late medieval book illumination and contains fascinating images of daily life in the calendar depictions of "labors of the months." The Museum has photographed these labors of the months but is considering dismantling the book in order to photograph every page. It could then be re-bound- but not so tightly! --so that it can be exhibited and enjoyed. This richly illuminated Book of Hours—a collection of prayers, scriptures, and a Church calendar used for private worship—is a noteworthy early example of French Renaissance art. In the calendar section, at the beginning of the book, each month is accompanied by a scene depicting an appropriate activity for that time of year and the corresponding zodiac sign. The 15 full-page miniatures include St. John the Evangelist, the Annunciation (Archangel Gabriel visiting the Virgin Mary to announce that she will bear the Christ Child), the Nativity (the birth of Christ), and the Crucifixion of Christ. The book is in exceptional condition with remarkably fresh colors. The book was rebound in the 1700s into its present leather binding. However, it was bound so tightly that opening it too far cracks the spine, which can damage the pages.Published ReferencesPautler, Margo L., "Books & Manuscripts", TOLEDO MUSEUM NEWS, New Series, Vol. 9, NO. 2, Summer 1966, pp.27-46, repr. p. 32 (b&w) (also published as a handbook).

Putney, Richard H., >i>Medieval Art, Medieval People: The Cloister Gallery of the Toledo Museum of Art, The Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, 2002, p. 52 (det.), repr. (col.) fig. 44.

Babbitt, Geoffrey, Appendices pulled from a study on light, New York City, Spuyten Duyvil, 2018, pp. 4-5, 8-10, 17, 30, 46, 51, 56, 74, repr. (col.) pp. 8, 20, 33, 45, 60, 62, 66, 70.

Exhibition HistoryToledo Museum of Art, Treasures for Toledo, Dec. 1964. and Jan. 1965

Toledo Museum of Art, A Page in Time: Treasured Books from the TMA Collection, Jan. 13, - June 3, 1990.