Beschreibung:

BOOK OF HOURS, use of Saint-André de Bordeaux, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum [Bordeaux, c.1500] A characterful and lively Book of Hours with unusual saints and texts, produced in Bordeaux at the turn of the 16 th century. 185 x 125mm. 122 leaves, modern pencil foliation 1-121 followed here. 20 lines, ruled space: 100 x 65mm, illuminated initials throughout, catchwords survive. Ten large miniatures within inhabited architectural borders and five small miniatures (lacking one leaf with miniature opening compline after f.55 and one text leaf after f.30, 7th gathering [ff.44-51] detached, some smudging to architectural borders, occasional marginal staining and thumbing). 19th-century red morocco gilt (spine lightly scuffed). Provenance : The present Book of Hours is extremely unusual: the use of the Office of the Virgin matches that of Saint-André de Bordeaux, and the Office of the Dead, with the exception of a variant reading for the third responsory (‘Domine cum veneris’ instead of ‘Domine quando veneris’), matches the use of Bordeaux. The calendar is sparse, but the presence of Sts Quiteria (22 May), and Genesius (25 August) in red and Sts Bertrand of Comminges (16 October) and Fronto (25 October), along with a good number of Bordeaux saints (Beraldus and Amand, for example), confirm a southern French provenance. The script is provincial, and the use of burgundy in the large initials is also a feature of southern manuscripts – Richard de Loménie: 20th-century bookplate with his arms, crest, name, motto ‘Je maintiendray’, beside a circular label ink-stamped '7' (see a Book of Hours for the use of Langres sold at Christie’s 7 July 2010, lot 36; and another, of unrecorded use, sold on 15 July 2015, lot 28). Content : Calendar ff.1-6; Gospel extracts ff.7-11; Hours of the Virgin, use of Saint-André de Bordeaux, ff.13-62v; Seven Penitential Psalms and Litany ff.63-80; Office of the Dead, use of Bordeaux, ff.80v-109; Obsecro te and prayers ff.109-121v. Illumination : Although evidently produced in Bordeaux, the style of illumination is reminiscent of Parisian book painting at the turn of the 16th century. Parallels can be drawn with the work of the Master of Anne de Bretagne, an artist named after the beautiful Book of Hours he illuminated for Anne de Bretagne (1477-1514), queen to Charles VIII and Louis XII of France (the Petites Heures de Anne de Bretagne , BnF, NAL 3027). The Master was at the head of a prolific workshop that not only painted manuscripts, but also designed images for printed books (see, for example, R. Wieck, Painted Prayers , 1997, p.57, no 38). It is perhaps from one of these printed editions that our artist drew inspiration. The subjects of the large miniatures are: Annunciation f.13, Visitation f.24v, Pentecost f.32; Nativity f.38v; Annunciation to the Shepherds f.43; Adoration of the Magi f.46; Presentation in the temple f.49; Flight into Egypt f.52; David in prayer f.63; Job on the dungheap f.80v. The small miniatures are on ff.7, 8, 9, 10v and 109.