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France, Poitiers. Circa AD 1470. Leaf (4.31”x6”). Medieval Book of Hours. Leaf containing the Litany of the Saints (somewhat abbreviated). Beginning in part II. Invocatio Sanctorum, starting with “Sancte Michael” and ending with the final part of Apostoli et Discipuli. A lovely example from the prayer book of someone of considerable means for the time. Decorated with plants, a stream of blue, and a dragonfly, illuminated with hues of gold, green, red, and violet. Wonderful color and quite readable, slight wrinkling. Good VF.
From the Sand Collection.
A “Book of Hours” is a Christian prayer book which was used by the owner to recite the canonical hour prayers. In modern times this practice is known as the Liturgy of the Hours. These handwritten books were individually created for lay people during the Middle Ages (14th and 15th centuries) and are usually written in Latin. The typical book of hours contains extracts from the Four Gospels; Psalms of Degrees; Penitential Psalms; Hours of the Cross; and other contents. These books become more elaborate in their construct based on the wealth of the buyer. Simple versions contain mostly unadorned text, often highly abbreviated. Complete texts, as seen in these examples, are a step up in value. As the adornment (illumination), including the use of color and images, goes up, so does the corresponding level of interest and worth. Many of these books survive although the great majority have been broken down into individual leaves which can be displayed as a form of art.
Closing Date and Time: 4 October 2023 at 17:51:00 ET.
All winning bids are subject to a 20% buyer’s fee.
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