Manuscript on parchment a Book of Hours, use of Rome, notable for its elaborate cycle of illumination; with a full calendar in French
Description:
In Latin and French., Script: Written in a gothic book hand by a single scribe., Large miniatures, facing text pages, and Calendar pages are in architectural frames, gold with red and blue panels; the frames of the miniatures are inscribed with the opening words of the text along the lower edge. A few small miniatures (14- to 6-line) are inserted in the text. Historiated borders in outer and lower margins, framed by red and gold columns and/or a red and gold bounding line; upper border, a thin panel, either pink with gold filigree and gold foliage, or flowers and acanthus on gold and parchment grounds., The series of 12 Sibyls on ff. 51v-61v are accompanied by texts on scrolls in the lower border (except f. 56v), most of which correspond to the set used in the painted decoration of the Roman palace of Cardinal Giordano Orsini (d. 1438). The texts in MS 411 are often garbled and misspelled. On the page facing each Sibyl, or on the same page (f. 56v and f. 61v) are border scenes from the life of Christ, to which the prophecies are supposed to refer, and appropriate biblical passages on a scroll in the lower border., and Binding: Twentieth century. Dark blue velvet case. Bound by J. Greenfield in the Yale Conservation Studio, 1984-85.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Catholic Church
Subject (Topic):
Books of hours, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on parchment (extremely fine; trimmed).
Description:
In Latin., Script: Written in round gothic script by one scribe., Miniatures, borders, and initials of very high quality, executed by an artist of the Ghent-Bruges school. In the calendar, 24 miniatures, painted so that the written space appears to be superimposed on a full-page picture; the sign of the zodiac for each month is set in a small gold or grey oval above the second page for each month. Each calendar page enclosed in a gold and brown frame., Six miniatures with full borders, in frames. The manuscript almost certainly contained 16 more full-page miniatures that are now missing (see MS 287A). Twelve illuminated initials, 5-line, letters formed of curling acanthus on pink and/or blue, brown and green, or blue and green grounds; borders of flowers or architectural elements. Border decoration on every page without a full border: one bird, flower, grotesque, piece of jewelry, insect, or, occasionally, a household utensil, in each of the three outer margins, traced and painted on the following verso. 2- and 1-line initials in the same style as 5-line initials, with blue or pink grounds. Ribbon line fillers in the same style. Rubrication in pale crimson: in calendar, for months, dates, and important feasts., Water has caused ink to run in the upper left of f. 151r; no loss of text., and Binding: Nineteenth century (?). Gilt, gauffered edges. Previously bound in brick colored velvet, over wooden boards; remains of velvet on turn-ins. An elaborate clasp with round blue sapphire and the initials "V. M." joined by a love knot on the inner side. Rebacked.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Catholic Church
Subject (Topic):
Books of hours, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on parchment of a Book of Hours with Calendar (rather empty) and headings in French
Description:
In Latin., Script: Written in formal batarde script; ff. 238r-241v in a different hand than the preceding folios, but probably almost contemporary., Thirteen undistinguished historiated initials (6-, 4-, and 3-line), ca. 1460-70, blue or pink with white highlights on brown grounds with gold highlights. Six other initials (ff. 13r, 17r, 27r, 107r, 155r, and 195r) enclose carefully studied flowers. Scatter and compartmentalized borders of average quality added later, ca. 1480-1500, for the most part to pages with historiated or flower initials, similar to borders in manuscripts of the "Ghent Associates"; the majority with acanthus branches, flowers, and birds, or flowers alone scattered on backgrounds of pink, bright blue, slate blue, gold and/or black, or flowers set within a lattice of twigs, the diamonds so formed alternately pink and blue (f. 123r) or green, pink and blue (f. 238r). Three borders (ff. 27v, 69v, and 136v) with thistles, brown and blue or brown and green, touched with gold, arranged in a wallpaper-like pattern over grounds of slate-blue or red cross-hatched with lines in a darker shade of the same color. In the border on f. 107r, a grotesque with the torso of a man and the hind legs of a large cat; on f. 185r the same, holding a bow., 2-line initials in gold on pink and blue with white highlights, except on ff. 238r-241v, gold on blue and brown with white highlights. 1-line initials in blue with red penwork, or gold with black penwork, or black with a red stroke; a few spaces for such initials have not been filled. In the text, headings and marks for antiphons in red; in the calendar, headings for months, dates, and important feasts also in red. Line-fillers: two oblique lines, blue or gold, with dots attached., and Binding: Eighteenth century. Brown calf. Paste-decorated edges. Rebacked. Spine stamped with gold leaves and the words "GETEY BOEK".
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Catholic Church
Subject (Topic):
Books of hours, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
In Latin., Written in round gothic script, by one scribe., Twelve full-page miniatures on the verso of tipped-in leaves (blank on recto), rather routine and careless. Each miniature facing a 6-line initial, black, with white highlights, on a gold ground, filled with blue and black trilobe leaves. Ten historiated initials, in the same style as the illuminated ones, illustrating the suffrages. Each initial with a border, as above. 2-line initials, gold on red and blue grounds with white highlights; some (on rectos) with black ink hair-spray with blue and gold flowers. 1-line initials, blue, with red penwork or gold, with black penwork. Rubrication for headings and to mark antiphons, verses etc.; also for dates and major feasts in calendar., and Binding: Sixteenth century. The backs of the quires are cut in on either side of the sewing supports and at the kettle stitches. Original sewing on five supports attached to wooden boards. Edges gilt and gauffered. Covered in dark brown calf with a panel stamp of two sets of horizontal inhabited vines within text borders, divided by a line of fleurs-de-lis and flowers in diamonds. The four panels are enclosed by the inscription: "Ora pro nobis sancta dei genitrix ut digni efficiamur promissione Christi". Spine lining, endbands and silver (?) clasps and catches added when the book was rebacked. One joint cracked.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Catholic Church
Subject (Topic):
Books of hours, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on parchment (trimmed) of a Book of Hours, with Calendar and prayers in Flemish
Description:
In Latin and Flemish., Script: Written in liturgical gothic bookhand by one scribe., Three full-page miniatures of mediocre quality. Each miniature set in a narrow frame of gold, black, pink, and white; full border of blue and gold acanthus leaves, red, pink, and blue flowers and strawberries, and black pen flecks. One 7-line historiated initial on f. 216r (Flemish Prayers): Pieta, pink with white highlights on gold; full border as above; text separated from border by a narrow band attached to initial of gold and pink, edged in black. Illuminated 5-line initials with full borders (eg. ff. 13r, 18r, 28r), pink or blue with white highlights on gold, filled with blue or pink trilobe leaves. 2-line initials, gold on pink and blue with white highlights, one on f. 92r (Advent Office) with a band attached, as above, and small sections of border, as above; one 3-line initial on f. 179r (Obsecro te) in similar manner. 1-line initials, blue with red penwork and gold with black penwork; initials within text washed in yellow. KL monograms as 2-line initials; Latin names of months and important feasts in red. Line fillers: oblique lines with dots attached, stylized plant motifs, dots, etc., in blue or gold. Rubrics in faded red., and Binding: Nineteenth century. Brown, originally black, sheepskin; stamped in gold on the spine: "Psaterium." Red edges.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Catholic Church
Subject (Topic):
Books of hours, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on parchment of a Book of Hours. With Calendar, Fifteen Joys of the Virgin, and Seven Requests, all in French
Description:
In Latin and French., Script: Written in liturgical gothic bookhand in two sizes, by a single scribe. Prayers (ff. 1r-2v, 49r-v, 101r-103r) added in an informal batarde script, apparently by a single person., The manuscript originally contained the full complement of miniatures; their removal (following ff. 8, 13, 22, 33, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 49, 61, 64, and 87) is indicated by stubs, missing bifolios and breaks in the text. The remaining decoration consists of compartmentalized borders typical of late 15th-century Rouen manuscripts. One full border (f. 3r) in red bounding lines with pink and blue acanthus leaves on a gold ground, alternating with flowers and strawberries on parchment ground, filled in with black and gold dots; three borders (ff. 4r, 6r, 7r) in outer margin only. 3/4 band borders (with 5- and 4- line initials); single bands in outer margin (with 2-line initials); additional small bands occur when 2-line initial is on a recto. Borders are traced whenever they occur on recto and verso of same leaf; all with blue and gold acanthus leaves, flowers on parchment ground, filler as for full border. Many pages have no border. Initials, 5-, 4-, 2-, and 1-line, gold, on blue and red grounds with white highlights; 4-line initials, blue on a gold ground, filled with red and blue trilobe leaves in lattices; the 2-line initials occasionally with a narrow border in inner margin with flowers, black hair-spray, and gold dots (red bounding lines). Ribbon and quatrelobe line-fillers in gold, blue, and red, highlighted in white. Rubrics in orange-tinted red. Calendar has months, dates, and important feasts in gold; other feasts alternately in blue and red. Most spaces for initials within the added prayers have not been filled., and Binding: Seventeenth century. Dark red goatskin, gold-tooled, with a smooth spine.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Catholic Church
Subject (Topic):
Books of hours, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on parchment of a book of hours, decorated with elaborate illuminated miniatures
Description:
In Latin., Script: probably copied by two hands, both writing Northern Gothica Textualis Formata: A copied the Calendar, B all the rest in a more formal script in two sizes, except ff. 102r-103r, which are in a different hand. Rich decoration. Rubrics in gold. Calendar written in blue and gold. Majuscules stroked in yellow. Line fillers in gold and colour. Numerous 1-line versals (dentelle initials). 2-line foliate initials with marginal extensions, or with a one-margin gold and colour foliate bar border, extending into the upper and lower margins; some of them contain a human face, a flower or a geometrical design. 6-or 7-line historiated initials, always accompanied by a full gold and colour foliate bar border. Several marginal portraits of a woman (ff. 21r and 83r) are probably of the original owner., Elaborate illuminated miniatures, decorating a calendar, Short Hours of the Cross, Hours of the Virgin, Penitential Psalms, and the Office of the Dead. The manuscript also includes the beginning of the Gospel according to John, a litany, and petitions., and Binding: 20th century binding by Douglas Cockerell (1926): dark red morocco over pasteboard. Spine with five raised bands, with gold-tooled title “HORAE BEATAE / MARIAE VIRGINIS // MS. SAEC. XIV”. Green silk endbands. Two leather straps with silver clasps and catches engraved with the Hornby crest.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Catholic Church
Subject (Topic):
Books of hours, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on parchment. One of a number of Books of Hours almost certainly made in Flanders for the English market. During the 16th century, some references to Thomas of Canterbury were erased or altered, and the word "pape" in the Calendar was changed to "ape".
Description:
In Latin., Script: Written in liturgical gothic bookhand., Decoration: Twenty-three fine miniatures (originally twenty-five) tipped in, in red, blue and gold frames, with gold quatrefoils in the corners; each with a 3/4 bar border, red and blue, with a full border of English-style acanthus, red, blue, pink and gold against cusped gold grounds, especially at corners and centers, surrounded by green, red, blue and pink flowers and berries, and ivy in black pen with gold and blue leaves, some with birds, in red bounding lines. Twenty-three historiated initials, 6-line, pink and blue with white highlights on gold grounds with black cusping. 6-line initials, pink and blue, with white highlights, filled with acanthus on gold, against pink and blue grounds, framed in gold and edged with black cusping. 3-line initials, gold, edged in black, on pink and blue grounds with white filigree. 1-line initials and line endings in the same manner. Calendar with 3-line KL monograms, as above, with hair-spray extensions and bar border, outer margin, and with hair-spray terminals. Kalends, Ides in blue and gold; important feasts in red., Shows signs of use (water stains, rubbing), but no serious damage to text or illumination., and Binding: 16th-17th centuries. Wound sewing on five large, tawed-skin supports, the backs of the gatherings cut in about 3 mm. on either side of the supports and at the kettle stitches. Dull gilt edges and traces of blue endband tie-downs. Covered in gold, striped velvet with two ribbon ties.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Catholic Church
Subject (Topic):
Books of hours, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
In Latin., Script: Written in two sizes of liturgical gothic by two scribes. Scribe 1) ff. 1r-22v and 28r-130r; Scribe 2) ff. 22v-26v. Many later marginal notes throughout, including titles at the top of each page., One very crude full-page miniature on f. 71v (Office of the Dead): mourners at a bier. Set in a narrow arched frame of gold edged in black, in a border of pink, blue, and green acanthus leaves (concentrated at corners), flowers in same colors, infilled with black ink hair-spray with gold dots; the whole rather carelessly done. 6- and 5-line initials (ff. 57r and 72r): blue with white highlights, on gold ground, infilled with blue, green, and pink trilobe leaves, with segmented bar border (strapwork corners) in blue, white, pink, black, and gold; full border as for miniature. Other illuminated initials (5- to 2-line, as above) with segmented bar borders without strapwork, and full borders as for full-page miniature. 5-line initials (ff. 35r and 38r) gold, on pink and blue ground with white highlights; in inner margin, a simple bar border sprouting black hair-spray with gold leaves at top and bottom. 2-line initials: gold on pink and blue grounds with white highlights. 1-line initials within text sometimes marked with a red stroke. Line fillers: occasionally a red cable after a rubric or, in the litany, oblique red and blue strokes with dots attached (perhaps added later, as colors do not match those of 1-line initials). Rubrics in orange-tinted red., Mold at bottom of ff. 122-130; text not damaged., and Binding: Nineteenth century. Brown calf, blind- and gold-tooled.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Catholic Church
Subject (Topic):
Books of hours, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
In Dutch., Script: Written in gothic bookhand., Four 9- or 8-line historiated initials, blue with white highlights or spiralling acanthus in white and gold, against cusped grounds, with penwork floral sprays in border, tinted red, blue and yellow. Fourteen 5-line initials for the Hours, blue, with leaves in white, filled with flowers or fruit, against gold grounds, square with cusps at corners: each with a three-quarter border, a red, blue and gold bar, some with dragon-head terminals, in outer margin; foliage with flowers, red, blue, green, purple and pink, and animals surrounded by brown and black hair-spray and gold dots. 4 inserted miniatures probably date ca. 1475-85 and differ in style from the manuscript to which they were added. The miniature on f. 55v Angels with Monstrance (Hours of the Eucharist) and most of the overpainted borders around miniatures and pages with historiated initials probably date from ca. 1500-10. The borders consist of pink and/or gold arched frames, cusped in black, with full borders, some compartmentalized, pink, blue and/or gold, with various combinations of gold curling acanthus, red, blue, and green flowers, insects and jewels; one (f. 149v) a damask pattern with jewels and flowers in roundels., Many small initials in red or blue with flourishing in blue or red, often extending the length of the written space. 1-line initials alternating red and blue. Rubrics throughout., and Binding: Seventeenth century. Gold-tooled, green goatskin with a red label and a spine decorated "a la grotesque," possibly by one of the Padeloups, a family active in Paris from ca. 1654 to 1800. Traces of original sewing and paste in gutter and on contemporary parchment flyleaves. Gilt edges.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Catholic Church
Subject (Topic):
Books of hours, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
