Beschreibung:

BOOK OF HOURS, use of Rome, in Latin, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM
BOOK OF HOURS, use of Rome, in Latin, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM [Bruges, c.1520] 186 x 125mm. ii paper + 166 + ii paper leaves: 1 6 , 2-3 8 , 4 6 , 5 8 , 6 7 (of 8, lacking v), 7 8 , 8 7 (of 8, lacking vii), 9 8 , 10 6 (of 8, lacking ii and vii), 11 7 (of 8, lacking iii, vi misbound as iii), 12 7 (of 8, lacking iii), 13 7 (of 8, lacking ii), 14 6 , 15 7 (of 8, lacking i), 16 8 , 17 4 , 18 7 (of 8, lacking i), 19-21 8 , 22 7 (of 8, lacking viii), 23 5 (of 6, lacking iv), 24 4 (of 6, lacking ii and iv), 25 1 (single leaf, lacking preceding text), 17 lines written in a black ink in a rounded gothic bookhand between two verticals and 18 horizontals ruled in red, justification: 96 x 65mm, rubrics in red, one- and two-line initials with staves of acanthus or branches in liquid gold and brown on grounds of pink, blue or green or in white and pink on grounds of maroon, line-endings with similar motifs in combinations of the same colours, seven initials of four or six lines with similar staves in liquid gold and brown on grounds modelled in colour and stippled with liquid gold or white in frames of brown and liquid gold, FOUR LARGE INITIALS OF SIMILAR TYPE WITH FULL HISTORIATED BORDERS on coloured grounds, TWELVE FULL HISTORIATED BORDERS FOR THE CALENDAR each a single scene enclosing the text (lacking at least 14 leaves of text, probably with large initials and borders, and perhaps about 20 inserted single leaves with miniatures at the major divisions of the text, f.75 has been misbound and should follow f.77). 19th-century diced calf gilt with rococo design gilt, spine in five compartments gilt, fore edges gilt (slight wear to joints). Maroon half morocco box. PROVENANCE: 1. The offices are for the universal use of Rome and prayers are in the masculine; the calendar indicates a model from Ghent or the requirements of a Ghent patron. While the book may have been written in Ghent, it was probably decorated in Bruges where Simon Bening (1483/4-1561) registered as an illuminator in 1500 and became a burgess in 1519; he no doubt maintained contacts with his native town of Ghent. 2. Sold by J. & J. Leighton, London, 1 July 1886. CONTENT: Calendar ff.1-6; the Passion according to John ff.7-16v; indulgenced prayer on the wounds of Christ, Ave vulnus lateris , f.17; Gospel extracts ff.18-24v: John f.18, Luke f.20, Matthew f.22, Mark f.24; Hours of the Cross ff.25-40v: matins f.25, prime f.26, terce f.26v, sext f.27v, none f.28, vespers f.29, compline f.29v; Hours of the Holy Spirit ff.31-35v: matins f.31, prime f.31v, terce 32v, sext f.33, none f.33v, vespers f.34, compline f.35; Mass of the Virgin ff.36-40v; Office of the Virgin, use of Rome, lacking opening of each hour except none, ff.41-99: matins f.41, lauds f.58, prime f.68, terce f.72, sext f.76, none f.78, vespers f.82, compline with prayers f.88; variations for Advent and the liturgical year f.92; Penitential Psalms, lacking opening, ff.100-110; Litany ff.110-118v; Office of the Dead, use of Rome, lacking opening, ff.119-156v; Athanasian Creed, lacking opening, ff.157-159v; Obsecro te , lacking opening and end, ff.160-162v; O intemerata , lacking opening and end, f.163; a confessional prayer, lacking opening and end, ff.164-165; the Seven Oes attributed to St Gregory, lacking opening, f.166. ILLUMINATION: The hand of the great Simon Bening (see lot 27) is immediately obvious in this manuscript, as recognised by Bodo Brinkmann (see below). Although the demand for Bening's work meant he employed assistants -- another hand seems to have contributed particularly to January, May and October -- the overall designs and some minutely painted detailing suggest Bening himself was responsible for this calendar that demonstrates his outstanding skills as a landscapist. The scenes are mostly adapted from the full-page calendar miniatures by Bening in the Da Costa Hours (New York, Morgan Library, Ms M.399), dated to c.1515. The expected priority of the full-page designs can be substantia