Leaf from a Book of Hours (recto and verso) by Anonymous

Leaf from a Book of Hours (recto and verso) c. 1500

drawing, gouache, gold, ink

drawing

aged paper

toned paper

water colours

pottery

gouache

gold

wood background

handmade artwork painting

ink

tile art

earthenware

watercolour illustration

watercolor

This illuminated manuscript leaf, likely from a Book of Hours created around 1500, showcases the intricate artistry of an anonymous artist. The page features a decorative border of delicate flowers and foliage, framing a beautifully rendered illuminated capital letter. The vibrant colors and meticulous detail of the botanical illustrations are characteristic of the Northern Renaissance, reflecting a fascination with the natural world. This piece serves as a reminder of the artistic skill and religious devotion that went into creating these devotional works, which were cherished by their owners and continue to be admired today.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Flemish Books of Hours were often decorated with borders of plants and animals set against a gold-colored background. Here, much of the actual gold used to embellish the decorated letters has been scraped away, exposing the bright white of the gesso used to seal the porous surface of the vellum prior to gilding. The leaf with the nearly continuous text features the Lord's Prayer. The leaf with the more frequently interrupted text opens with a call and response from the opening phrase of Psalm 69, a formula used to ask for God's assistance at the beginning of each hourly prayer throughout the day. This call is then followed by the Minor Doxology ("Glory be to the Father…") and finally the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which ask the Lord to remember that he was conceived and made flesh in the Virgin's womb.