ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT BOOK OF HOURS BIFOLIUM LEAVES 1470 GOLD PRAYERS TO SAINTS

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ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT BOOK OF HOURS BIFOLIUM LEAVES 1470 GOLD PRAYERS TO SAINTS:
$995.00

Original Illuminated Manuscript Book of Hours Bifolium, France (Rouen), c. 1470-1490
Two Continuous Leaves – Four Pages –
Text: SUFFRAGES OF SAINTS NICHOLAS, CLAUDIUS, ANTHONY & ANNE:
“…O God, who adorned the blessed Nicholas…O God who vouchsafed to confer on blessed Claudius thy glorious confessor and priest so much grace and blessing…”

IM-12089: Original continuous bifolium leaves from an illuminated manuscript Book of Hours. 24 lines of text, ruled in red, written in Latin in an elegant angular gothic book-hand script on animal vellum. Rubrics in red. Overall size is 178 x 250 mm (7 x 10”) - each leaf measures 178 x 125 mm (7 x 5”).

SIX TWO-LINE ILLUMINATED INITIALS AND FIVE ONE-LINE PARAPHS IN GOLD ON RED OR BLUE GROUND.

UNUSUAL VIBRANT AND ELABORATE PANEL BORDERS ON RECTO AND VERSO IN COLORFUL FLORAL (INCLUDING STRAWBERRIES – SYMBOL OF PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS) AND GEOMETRIC MOTIF IN RED, GREEN, BLUE AND WHITE ON GOLD GROUND.

This Book of Hours bifolium was scribed in France: Rouen (Use of Rouen), c. 1470-1490. This is an original, more than 525 years old, not a reproduction. It is in outstanding condition for its age and use, as shown in the photos. The vellum is very clean and the colors and are fresh and bright.

This leaf continues the section of Suffrages - prayers to saints who were considered the protectors, helpers and guardians of medieval people. The Suffrages of St. Nicholas begin: “Amicus…” (Nicholas, the friend of God,..). The two-line illuminated “D” begins: “Deus qui…” (O God, who adorned the blessed Nicholas…). The Suffrages of St. Claudius begin: “O desolatorum…” (O consoler of the desolate, freer of captives…). The two-line illuminated “D” begins: “Deus qui…” (O God who vouchsafed to confer on blessed Claudius thy glorious confessor and priest so much grace and blessing…). The Suffrages of St. Anthony begin: “Anthoni pastor…” (Renowned shepherd Anthony, who restoreth the crucified…). The two-line illuminated “D” begins: “Deus qui…” (O God, who granteth by the intercession of blessed Anthony thy confessor that the fire of illness be quenched…). The Suffrages of St. Roch begin: “Ave Roche…” (Hail, most holy Roch…). The two-line illuminated “D” begins: “Deus…” (O God, who promised to the blessed Roch through thine angel an altar…). The Suffrages of St. Anne begins: “Celeste…” (A heavenly blessing entered into Anne…).

Books of Hours are personal prayer books of a devout and status-conscious society and are not only works of art, but cultural documents of their time. They reveal a unique combination of sacred and secular imagery - made of the finest materials, by the best craftsmen, for a small audience that could both appreciate and afford them.

These leaves come with a Certificate of Authenticity.

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