Beschreibung:

The Master of Jacques de Besançon (active c.1485-1498) Book of Hours, use of Paris, in Latin and French, illuminated manuscript on vellum [Paris, c.1485-1490] A splendid, large-format Book of Hours, previously in the library of William Randolph Hearst, with a notably full programme of illumination completed by the Master of Jacques de Besançon, one of the most sought-after Parisian illuminators of the late 15th century. 213 x 150mm. i + 150 + i, complete, collation: 13, 212, 310, 4-118, 127 (of 8, ii a cancelled blank), 138, 1410, 15-188, 194, modern pencil foliation followed here, 16 lines, ruled space: 115 x 76mm, every text page with three-sided borders of acanthus sprays, flowers and strawberries with ivy-leaf infill on hairline stems, 24 panel miniatures set within thin gold frames in the borders of the Calendar depicting the occupations of the month and the signs of the Zodiac, three historiated initials and 14 large arch-topped miniatures set within thin gold frames above four-line illuminated or historiated initials of birds with 31 accompanying medallion scenes in the full borders framed by acanthus cordelières of blue and gold. Seventeenth-century brown calf, covers with single gilt-ruled border enclosing a large gilt panel with oval central medallion and large corner ornaments with gilt panel and oval centrepiece of strapwork and floral design (rebacked using original spine). Morocco box, gilt title on spine. Content: Ruled blanks ff.ii-iv; Calendar, in French ff.1-12; Gospel Extracts ff.13-22; Hours of the Virgin, unidentified use ff.23-79v: matins f.23, lauds f.42v, prime f.52, terce f.57v, sext f.62, none f.65v, vespers f.69v, compline f.75v; Penitential Psalms ff.80-94; Hours of the Cross ff.94v-100; Hours of the Holy Spirit ff.100v-105; Office of the Dead, use of Paris ff.105v-137v; Fifteen Joys of the Virgin, in French ff.138-142; Seven Requests to our Lord, in French ff.142-143v; ruled blanks ff.144-147. Illumination: The Parisian artist known as the Master of Jacques de Besançon was responsible for illuminating this splendid Book of Hours, whose large format allowed him to indulge his taste for iconographical innovation and a more developed visual narrative through the 14 large miniatures with 31 accompanying scenes in the borders. Along with the Master of Jean Rolin and Maître François the Master of Jacques de Besançon was one of three successive illuminators through whose work – highly admired and widely emulated – we can trace the prevalent style of illumination in Paris in the second half of the 15th century: most of the prestigious commissions from the court and leading ecclesiastics were fulfilled by this trio, who painted luxurious manuscripts for Charles VIII, Anne of Brittany, Louis XII and Henry VII of England (see Avril & Reynaud, Les manuscrits à peintures en France, 1993, pp.38-52 and 256-262). The Master of Jacques de Besançon was the youngest of the three, active from c.1485 until 1498; on the basis of the close correspondence of archival evidence with the attributed oeuvres of Maître François and the Master of Jacques de Besançon their identification as the father and son illuminators, both named François le Berbier, has been generally accepted (see M. Deldicque, ‘L’enluminure à Paris à la fin du XVe siècle: Maître François le Maître de Jacques de Besançon et Jacques de Besançon identifiés’, Revue de l’Art, 2014, pp.9-18). The Master of Jacques de Besançon – or François le Berbier fils – was first identified from an inscription added to an office book given to the Saint-Jean-l’Évangéliste book producers’ guild in Paris in 1485 recording its donation by a member of the guild: it appears likely that the Master was also responsible for illuminating the manuscript that he donated (see Avril and Reynaud, p.256). The Master produced a considerable number of Books of Hours for the commercial market; as a result, many are of somewhat summary execution. But this is not the case with our manuscript,