Book of Hours, Use of Rouen, in Latin and French [France (Rouen), c.1480]

183x133mm, vellum, ii+141+iii leaves, paginated 1-282, COMPLETE, collation: i-ii6, iii8, iv6, v-x8, xi4-1 (last blank cancelled), xii8, xiii8+1 (last leaf added), xiv-xviii8, xix8-1 (last blank cancelled), 15 lines, 95x65mm, 12 CALENDAR ROUNDELS WITH ZODIAC SIGNS, 14 LARGE MINIATURES AND 3 HISTORIATED INITIALS WITH FULL BORDERS OCCASIONALLY INCLUDING SMALL FIGURES AND DROLLERIES, illuminated initials and line-fillers, PANEL BORDERS ON ALL TEXT PAGES, extremities of borders slightly cropped, the illumination generally in remarkable condition, 17th-century brown calf with gilt centrepieces of the Crucifixion and the Virgin and Child on a Crescent Moon, upper cover becoming loose, lacking one clasp

A RICH BOOK OF HOURS WITH VERY FINE MINIATURES BY THE MASTER OF THE ECHEVINAGE OF ROUEN, ILLUMINATED IN BRIGHT COLOURS WITH FINELY POUNCED GOLD LEAF

PROVENANCE

(1) Made for a noble woman represented in prayer next to the Virgin with Child (miniature on p.263). (2) 'Mr Wittinoom', 19th century (inscribed inside upper cover). (3) James Cazalet, Halsted, Kent, 19th century (armorial book-plate inside upper cover). (4) No.289 in a catalogue of Bernard Halliday, Leicester (clipping on first flyleaf). (5) Ampleforth Abbey, MS 275; described by Ker, Medieval Manuscripts in British Libraries, II, 1977, pp.38-9.

TEXT AND ILLUMINATION

Calendar (p.1); Gospel Extracts (p.25); Obsecro te (p.37); O intemerata (p.44); Hours of the Virgin (p.53); Penitential Psalms (p.155), litany (p.180); Hours of the Cross (p.189); Hours of the Holy Spirit (p.197); Office of the Dead (p.205); Doulce dame (p.263); Doulx dieu (p.274).

The ECHEVINAGE MASTER is named after his patrons, the aldermen of Rouen, who assembled one of the first public libraries in France. Following the end of the English occupation of Normandy in 1449 during the Hundred Years War, the Echevinage Master became the most successful Norman illuminator of the third quarter of the 15th century.

The subjects of the large miniatures are: (1) Evangelists in four compartments, p.25; (2) Annunciation to the Virgin, p.53; (3) Visitation, p.76; (4) Nativity, p.101; (5) Annunciation to the Shepherds, p.112; (6) Adoration of the Magi, p.119; (7) Presentation in the Temple, p.125; (8) Flight into Egypt, p.132; (9) Coronation of the Virgin, p.145; (10) David in Prayer, p.155; (11) Crucifixion, p.189; (12) Pentecost, p.197; (13) Burial, p.205; (14) Virgin and Child with Patroness in Prayer, p.263.

The subjects of the historiated initials are: (1) Pietà, p.37; (2) Virgin and Child, p.44; (3) Trinity, p.274.