Add MS 29433

The miniatures in this Book of Hours are the work of a Bolognese artist active in Paris during the first decade of the 15th century, known as the Master of the Brussels Initials after his work in the Très Belles Heures of Jean, duke of Berry (Brussels, Bibliothèque royale, MS 11060-61). Although the original owner is unknown, it has been suggested that the manuscript may have been made for Louis (b. 1397, d. 1415), duke of Guyenne (Paris 1400 (2004), pp. 274-75).

Contents:

ff. 1r-12v: Calendar with French saints;

ff. 13r-19v: Gospel readings;

ff. 20r-88v: Hours of the Virgin;

ff. 89r-102r: Penitential Psalms;

ff. 10r-107r: Litany;

f. 107v: Indulgence granted on the occasion of the miracle of the Mass of St Gregory;

ff. 106r-111r: Hours of the Cross;

ff. 111r-115r: Hours of the Holy Spirit;

ff. 115r-160r: Office of the Dead;

ff. 161r-164r: Prayer, 'Obsecro te';

ff. 164r-167r: Prayer, 'O intemerata';

ff. 168r-173v: The Fifteen Joys of the Virgin, in French;

ff. 174r-177v: The Five Wounds of our Lord, in French;

ff. 178r-183v: Office of the Trinity;

ff. 184r-186r: Office of the Virgin;

ff. 186r-188r: Office of the Cross;

ff. 188v-191v: Office of the Dead;

ff. 192r-217v: Suffrages to the Trinity and Saints;

ff. 218r-219r: Prayer to All Saints.

Decoration:

19 large miniatures at the beginnings of the offices, with full borders in colours on gold grounds, including human figures, birds and insects, some with historiated initials: St John the Evangelist (f. 13r); St Luke the Evangelist (f. 14v); St Mark the Evangelist (f. 16v); St Matthew the Evangelist (f. 18r); the Annunciation (f. 20r); the Visitation (f. 43v); the Nativity (f. 56r); the Annunciation to the Shepherds (f. 62r); the Adoration of the Magi (f. 67r); the Presentation in the Temple (f. 71v); the Flight into Egypt (f. 76r); the Coronation of the Virgin (f. 83r); Damnation (f. 89r); the Man of Sorrows and fictive scroll (f. 107v); Pentecost (f. 111v); the Last Judgement (f. 115v); Sts Mary and Joseph with the Christ child in a pool of water (f. 168r); the Pieta (f. 174r); the Trinity in the form of the Throne of Mercy (f. 192r).

36 small miniatures or historiated initials in colours with gold: the Virgin and Child with a kneeling figure (f. 161r); the Virgin in prayer (f. 164r); the Trinity as a 3-faced figure (f. 178); the Virgin lactans (f. 184); a bishop kneels before a cross on an altar (f. 186); the Elevation of the Host by a priest (f. 188v); the Virgin lactans (f. 193r); a cross on an altar adored by a bishop and priests (f. 193v); St Michael (f. 194v); St John the Baptist (f. 195r); St Peter and Paul (f. 196r); Sts Andrew and James (f. 197v); Sts Thomas and Bartholomew (f. 198v); Sts Simon and Jude (f. 199v); Sts James and Philip (f. 200r); St Matthias (f. 200v); the Four Evangelists and their symbols (f. 201v); St Stephen (f. 202v); St Lawrence (f. 203r); St Blaise (f. 204r); St Christopher (f. 205r); St Denis (f. 206r); St George (f. 207r); Sts Job, Louis of France and Eustace (f. 208r); the Four Doctors of the Church (f. 208v); Sts Martin and Sylvester (f. 210r); Sts Nicolas and Louis of Toulouse (f. 210v); Sts Benedict, Bernard and Fiacre (f. 211v); St Anthony (f. 212r); St Catherine (f. 213r); St Mary Magdalene (f. 214r); St Margaret (f. 214v); St Agatha (f. 215v); St Genevieve (f. 216r); St Anne and the Virgin (f. 217r); All Saints (f. 218r).

The calendar includes 12 small miniatures of the labours of the months in the lower margin, and of the signs of the Zodiac in the outer margin, with full borders featuring rays of the sun in gold at the outer corners (ff. 1-12v).

Numerous unpainted shields of arms included in borders and initials (e.g. f. 20r), one with red and blue (f. 71v).

Text throughout framed in gold, with decoration in colours, surrounded by rinceau borders incorporating hybrid creatures, birds, insects and flowers in colours with gold. Numerous framed initials in blue or rose on gold grounds with decoration in red, blue and white. Rubrics in gold.