FRENCH ILLUMINATED BOOK OF HOURS LEAF, ON VELLUM - PSALMS, PARIS c 1532

Description

Original Illuminated Book of Hours Leaf printed on vellum
Paris, France c 1532
Text:
"...The Heavens show forth the Glory of God..."
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IM-12970
:  Original leaf from a printed & beautifully hand-illuminated
Book of Hours
.
Ruled for twenty-six lines of Latin text and printed in black on animal vellum.
(Size 163 x 108mm – 6 3/8 x 4 1/4’’)
The leaf is embellished with an elaborate illuminated border on each side -
hand-painted with tempera colors in a floral motif with acanthus leaves,  a strawberry (symbol of perfect righeousness), and columbines (symbol of the Holy Spirit)
on liquid gold ground.
Initials are illuminated by hand in gold with delicate gold penwork on blue or red grounds.
Printed and hand-painted
with
rich sumptuous colors
in the workshop of
Germain Hardouyn
- printer and highly skilled illuminator.
Paris, c.
1532.
This leaf contains text from the "
Hours of the Blessed Virgin".
The
two-line illuminated “Q” begins a 6
th
century hymn:
“
Quem terra
…” (The God whom earth, and sea, and sky adore, and laud, and magnify, who o'er their threefold fabric reigns,
the Virgin's spotless womb contains. The God whose will by moon, and sun, and all things in due course is done, is borne upon a Maiden's breast, by fullest heavenly grace possessed…).
The
two-line illuminated “D” begins Psalm 8
complete
: “
Domine
…” (
O Lord our Lord, how admirable is thy name in the whole earth!
For thy magnificence is elevated above the heavens.
Out of the mouths of infants and of sucklings thou hast perfected praise…). The
two-line illuminated “C” begins Psalm 18 (King James 19) 1-6
: “
Celi enarrant
…” (
The heavens show forth the glory of God, and the firmament declareth the works of his hands
…
).
Medieval 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. In purpose and format, printed
Books of Hours
followed the older manuscript examples. The more luxurious were printed on vellum.
This is an original, almost 500 years old, not a reproduction. It is in nice condition as shown in the photos, with stunning bright colors and gold with light soiling and wear from devotional use.
This leaf comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.
We have been full-time dealers in Illuminated Manuscripts, Maps, Prints and Antiquities since 1980.