Beschreibung:

BOOK OF HOURS, use of Evreux, in Latin and French, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM [Rouen, c.1460-1470] 195 x 135mm. 143 leaves: 1 1 2, 2 8, 3 6, 4-9 8, 10 6, 11-12 8, 13 7 (of 8, lacking iii with miniature), 14-18 8, horizontal catchwords in centre lower margin of final versos (some cropped), 15 lines written in dark brown ink in two sizes of gothic bookhand between two vertical and 16 horizontal lines ruled in dark pink, prickings visible in most margins, justification: 93 x 62mm, rubrics in red, calendar in red and blue with feasts in burnished gold, text capitals touched yellow, one- and two-line initials in burnished gold on mauve and blue grounds with white tracery, line-endings in the same colours, three- and four-line initials in blue with white tracery on burnished gold grounds infills with sprays of blue and orange ivy leaves, panel borders throughout with blue-and-gold acanthus and sprays of naturalistic fruits and flowers, sometimes growing from liquid gold flower-pots, and with sprays of tiny golden leaves on fine black scrolling stems with fruit or flower terminals, 12 LARGE ARCH-TOPPED MINIATURES in gold and colours accompanied by full-page borders of similar type, four with two border vignettes each, two including a coat of arms (silver oxidised, a few tiny pigment losses, occasional minor smudges to borders). 19th-century black morocco antique, signed Bauzonnet at foot of spine, two chased silver clasps and gilt-stamped vellum doublures, edges gilt and gauffered (slight wear to extremities). A FINE AND WELL-PRESERVED ROUEN BOOK OF HOURS, OF DISTINGUISHED MODERN PROVENANCE PROVENANCE: 1. Copied and illuminated in Rouen for the patron whose coat of arms, azure a double chevron argent three estoiles or , appears in the borders of ff.13 and 37v. Books of Hours were manufactured in Rouen not only for the use of that city but also for neighbouring dioceses; in this case Evreux. The Calendar includes the following feasts: Translation of St Ouen, Bishop of Rouen (May 5), St Leufred, first abbot of Croix-St-Leufroy in the diocese of Evreux (June 3, 21), Transfiguration (Aug. 6, in gold), St Taurin, Bishop of Evreux (Aug. in gold), St Romain, Bishop of Rouen (Oct. 23, in gold). The position of the coat of arms with the miniature of the Visitation, rather than the Annunciation, suggests that the first owner of the manuscript may have been named Elizabeth, though the prayers are given in masculine form. 2. Belle da Costa Greene (1879-1950): pencilled note on flyleaf in her hand, signed 'B.G. 1928'. Belle da Costa Greene, the legendary first director of the Pierpont Morgan Library, played a large role in forming that library's collection of illuminated manuscripts. During her long career she was frequently consulted as an expert on illuminated manuscripts. Her own collection, which is not well documented, included at least Islamic manuscripts, incunabula, later printed books and old master drawings. Of her personal books, most were left to the library, but some were given to friends or colleagues. CONTENT: Calendar, in French ff.1-12v; Gospel extracts ff.13-18v; Obsecro te.... , in masculine form ff.18v-22; O intemerata.... , in masculine form ff.22-26; Office of the Virgin, use of Evreux ff.27-79v: matins f.27, lauds f.37v, f.48v blank, isolated Suffrage f.49r&v, f.50r&v blank, prime f.51, terce f.57, sext f.61, none f.64v, vespers, with rubric in French f.68, compline f.74v; Penitential Psalms and Litany ff.81-98; Hours of the Cross ff. 99-101 (lacking opening with miniature); Hours of the Holy Spirit, with rubric in French ff.101v-104; Office of the Dead, use of Evreux ff.105-137v; Prayer to the Virgin Je te salue Maria A qui dieu son filx Maria ff.138-140; Prayers in Latin to St Katherine ff.140-143v ILLUMINATION: The workshop of the anonymous artist known as the Master of the Geneva Latini or the Master of the Rouen Echevinage was responsible for some of the finest and most elaborate manuscripts illuminated