Book of Hours, Use of Rome — 15th century, third quarter; Flemish, Tournai

Title

Book of Hours, Use of Rome — 15th century, third quarter; Flemish, Tournai

Shelfmark

MS. Rawl. liturg. e. 26

Place of origin

Flemish, Tournai

Date

15th century, third quarter

Language

Latin

Middle French (ca. 1400-1600)

Contents

Form

codex

Support

parchment

Physical extent

i+ 1 + 122 + ii fol.

Decoration

Good miniatures. Full page miniatures. Fol. 7v (Hours of the Cross): Crucifixion with Virgin Mary and St John the Evangelist, a small skull lies at the bottom of the cross. Fol.13v (Hours of the Holy Spirit): Pentecost. Holy Spirit as a dove descends from a blue orb, Virgin Mary and the twelve disciples look up. Interior setting with a gold, red, and blue check pattern background. Fol.22v (Hours of the Virgin, Matins): Annunciation. Virgin Mary to left kneeling and reading. Fol.31v (Hours of the Virgin, Lauds): Visitation. Fol.41v (Hours of the Virgin, Prime): Nativity. The Virgin Mary prays over the Christ child lying naked on the ground. Joseph is not featured. Stable setting with rural background but no ox or ass. In the background, a small figure walks towards the birth. Fol.45v (Hours of the Virgin, Terce): Annunciation to the Shepherds. Angel in the sky holding a banderolle. Two shepherds look up to the angel, one standing and one lying down. Rural setting with sheep. Fol.49v (Hours of the Virgin, Sext): Adoration of the Magi. Christ Child in Mary’s lap. Two kings kneel to offer gifts; the third king stands to the side. A crown lies on the floor between the kings. Fol.53v (Hours of the Virgin, None): Flight to Egypt. The Virgin Mary holds Jesus wrapped in white cloth while riding a donkey. Joseph leads them. Rural setting with castle. Fol.57v (Hours of the Virgin, Vespers): Massacre of the Innocents. King Herod sits in his throne with his soldiers to his side. Three dead babies wrapped in cloth lie on the floor. A woman holds her dead baby. Fol.64v (Hours of the Virgin, Compline): Presentation at the Temple. Fol.68v: (Penitential Psalms). David in Penitence. David holds his harp, stands and looks up. Gold lines emerge from the sky. Castle setting with rural background. Fol.83v: (Office of the Dead) Raising of Lazarus. A man and woman to Christ’s side. Castle setting.

Good borders. Stylized acanthus and plant borders at openings with miniatures. Coat of arms on fols. 7v and 14r and a jester or fool on fol. 8r.

Good initials. 2- and 4- line decorated initials mainly in gold, blue and red.

Lesser initials gold flourished in blue or blue flourished in red.

Binding

Brown leather elaborately gilt, worn, late 16th cent. French work.

Acquisition

Referenced in the Rawlinson collection about 1888 but lacking direct evidence of belonging to the collection.

Provenance

In the border of fol. 7v is a coat of arms: argent three nails (2 and 1) sable hanging from a column and surmounted by a front-faced helmet or, with mantlings azure and vert. Binding as in MS. Rawl. liturg. e. 14. On fol. 122v are erased records of births, one on 23 April 1518, written in the same hand as MS. Rawl. liturg. e. 14.

Richard Rawlinson, 1690–1755 (?)