[TIMES]. 

[HOURS]. 

Book of Hours, purpose unknown. Manuscript on parchment, France, second half of the 15th century, c. 1450–1480. Dimensions: 165 x 122 mm. 116 leaves (apparently complete). Classification: 112, 3–88, 96, 10–138, 1410. Without foliage. – Writing area: 95 x 64 mm. A column of 15–16 lines, ruled in red. Written in dark brown ink in Gothic Textura script; calendar in gold, brown and blue; rubrics in red; initials touched with yellow; visible pinholes. – Hundreds of 1- to 2-line initials adorned with gold leaf, filled and edged in alternating blue and mauve with white motifs; line endings in alternating blue and mauve with gold leaf bezantsgold in the centre and a decoration of white motifs; fourteen 2- to 3-line initials in blue and mauve alternating on blocks of gold leaf, filled with blue and mauve ivy leaves sometimes enhanced with white, by at least two hands; 14 half-page miniatures in frames arched at the top, within full borders comprising blue acanthus, or liquid, pink and mauve, red, blue, pink and mauve flowers, green leaves, ivy scrolls in gold leaf and gold-leaf bezants; borders on all leaves featuring red, blue, pink and mauve flowers, green leaves, ivy scrolls in gold leaf and gold leaf bezants. – Condition: Parchment endpapers, partially detached; small tear in the parchment at the bottom of folio 11; possible pilgrim’s insignia on parchment with a black head surrounded by a halo in green, white and gold (of which only traces remain), sewn onto page 12v; some pigment loss in the second quire; a few ink stains on pages 86v–87; red pigment smudged on f. 116; Slight loss of pigmentation in the blues and whites (ff. 13, 43v, 47, 75, 91) and, in one instance, in the gold (ff. 56); Text rubbed on ff. 65 and 66; Inscription from the late 15th or early 16th century on the rear flyleaf; sporadic signs of use, otherwise in good condition and clean. – Late 15th or early 16th-century brown calfskin binding. Decorated with floral dies on the four panels and a central crown, accompanied by the owners’ names in gold dies: Front: IACQUES GILLES; Back: IACQELINE RENOV…; dot with five bird stamps between four ribbons. Leather used in several places. This Book of Hours – a luxury prayer book – is richly illuminated, featuring brilliant gold illuminations on every page. The style of its borders and miniatures indicates a French origin, probably Parisian. Theilluminator of the miniatures worked in the style of the second half of the 15th century, providing large miniatures at the start of each section of prayers, with typical iconography in a colour palette of blue, mauve, light and dark green, white and brown.The artist favours stiff, angular drapery, large pale faces with angular noses in profile, and horizons placed very high in the composition. A coat of arms appears in the book on folio 65, attributed to the illuminator of St Margaret, leaving future researchers the opportunity to identify the book’s original owners and members of the family whose names are inscribed on the old binding. Provenance 1. Unidentified coat of arms on f. 65, alongside the image of St Margaret: Per pale Or and Argent: (Right) A black band running from the top left to the bottom right with two white fleurs-de-lis; (Left) A black wolf on three red circles. 2. Names of 15th- or 16th-century owners inscribed on the binding: IACQUES GILLES and IACQELINE RENOV… Text – ff. 1–12: Calendar, with the following saints in or [ED1]: (Jan.) Sebastian, Vincent, Paul; (Feb.) Agatha, St Peter’s Cathedral, Marcellus (?); (Mar.) Gregory; (Apr.) Mark; (May) James & Philip, Holy Cross; (Jun.) Ursinus, Barnabas, John, Peter & Paul, Paul; (Jul.) Martin, Margaret, Magdalene, James, Anne, (Aug.) Peter, Stephen, Lawrence, Our Lady, Bartholomew, Louis, John; (Sept.) Our Lady, Matthew, Michael, (Oct.) Denis, Michael, Luke (?), Simon; (Nov.) Martin, Clement, Catherine, Andrew; (Dec.) Nicholas, Thomas, Stephen, John, Ursinus; (ff. 13–59) Hours of the Virgin: (ff. 13–21v) Matins; (ff. 22–37v) Lauds, prayers to the saints (ff. 32–37) – Saints: Paul, Peter, Matthias, Philip, Barnabas, James, Bartholomew, Matthew, Luke, Andrew, Thomas, John the Evangelist, John, Eustace, Nicholas, Sebastian; (ff. 38–43) Prime; (ff. 43v–46v) Terce; (ff. 47–49v) Sext; (ff. 50–53) None; (ff. 53v–55) Vespers; (ff. 55v–59), Conform; (ff. 59v–62) Hours of the Cross; (ff. 62v–64v) Hours of the Holy Spirit; (ff. 65–66) prayer to St Margaret; (ff. 66v–68) prayer to St St Catherine; (ff. 68v) lined blank; (ff. 69–71v) Obsecro te, using the masculine form for ‘famulo tuo’; (ff. 72–74) O intemerata, using the masculine form for ‘peccatori’; (f. 74v) lined blank; (ff. 75–86v) Psalms of Penitence; and following. Litany 86v-90v; (ff. 91-116) Office of the Dead; (f. 116v) lined white. ILLUMINATION 1. f. 13 Annunciation to the Virgin, scroll emerging from the hand of the angel Gabriel: Ave Maria… 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. f. 22 Visitation f. 38 Adoration of the Infant Jesus f. 43v Annunciation to the Shepherds, scroll emerging from the angel’s hand: Gloria in excelsis Deo f. 47 Adoration of the Magi f. 50 Flight into Egypt f. 53v Presentation in the Temple f. 55v Coronation of the Virgin f. 59v Crucifixion 10. f. 62v Pentecost 11. f. 65 Rue Marguerite; coat of arms 12. f. 66v St. Catherine 13. f. 75 David before God 14. f. 91 Funeral Mass LITERATURE Unpublished. to the illuminator of St. Margaret, leaving future researchers the opportunity to identify the book’s original owners and personally link the family to the names inscribed on the old binding. Provenance 1. Unidentified coat of arms on f. 65, in the image of St Margaret: Per pale Or and Argent: (Dexter) A black band running from the top left to the bottom right with two white fleurs-de-lis; (Left) A black wolf on three red circles. 2. Names of 15th- or 16th-century owners inscribed on the binding: IACQUES GILLES and IACQELINE RENOV… Text – ff. 1–12: Calendar, with the following saints in [ED1]: (Jan.) Sebastian, Vincent, Paul; (Feb.) Agatha, St Peter’s Cathedral, Marcellus (?); (Mar.) Gregory; (Apr.) Mark; (May) James & Philip, Holy Cross; (Jun.) Ursinus, Barnabas, John, Peter & Paul, Paul; (Jul.) Martin, Margaret, Magdalene, James, Anne, (Aug.) Peter, Stephen, Lawrence, Our Lady, Bartholomew, Louis, John; (Sept.) Our Lady, Matthew, Michael, (Oct.) Denis, Michael, Luke (?), Simon; (Nov.) Martin, Clement, Catherine, Andrew; (Dec.) Nicholas, Thomas, Stephen, John, Ursinus; (ff. 13–59) Hours of the Virgin: (ff. 13–21v) Matins; (ff. 22–37v) Lauds, prayers to the saints (ff. 32–37) – Saints: Paul, Peter, Matthias, Philip, Barnabas, James, Bartholomew, Matthew, Luke, Andrew, Thomas, John the Evangelist, John, Eustace, Nicholas, Sebastian; (ff. 38–43) First Hour; (ff. 43v-46v) Terce; (ff. 47-49v) Sext; (ff. 50-53) None; (ff. 53v-55) Vespers; (ff. 55v-59), Conform; (ff. 59v-62) Hours of the Cross; (ff. 62v–64v) Hours of the Holy Spirit; (ff. 65–66) prayer to St Margaret; (ff. 66v–68) prayer to St Catherine; (ff. 68v) lined blank page; (ff. 69–71v) Obsecro te, using the masculine form for ‘famulo tuo’; (ff. 72–74) O intemerata, using the masculine form for ‘peccatori’; (f. 74v) lined blank; (ff. 75–86v) Penitential Psalms; and following Litany 86v-90v; (ff. 91-116) Office of the Dead; (f. 116v) blank with lines. ILLUMINATION 1. f. 13 Annunciation to the Virgin, scroll emerging from the hand of the angel Gabriel: Ave Maria… 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. f. 22 Visitation f. 38 Adoration of the Infant Jesus f. 43v Annunciation to the shepherds, scroll emerging from the angel’s hand: Gloria in excelsis Deo f. 47 Adoration of the Magi f. 50 Flight into Egypt f. 53v Presentation in the Temple f. 55v Coronation of the Virgin f. 59v Crucifixion 10. f. 62v Pentecost 11. f. 65 Rue Marguerite; coat of arms 12. f. 66v St. Catherine 13. f. 75 David before God 14. f. 91 Funeral Mass LITERATURE Unpublished. to the illuminator of St. Margaret, leaving future researchers the opportunity to identify the book’s original owners and personally link the family to the names inscribed on the old binding. Provenance 1. Unidentified coat of arms on f. 65, in the image of St Margaret: Per pale Or and Argent: (Dexter) A black band running from the top left to the bottom right with two white fleurs-de-lis; (Sinister) A black wolf on three red circles. 2. Names of 15th- or 16th-century owners inscribed on the binding: IACQUES GILLES and IACQELINE RENOV… Text – ff. 1–12: Calendar, with the following saints in [ED1]: (Jan.) Sebastian, Vincent, Paul; (Feb.) Agatha, St Peter’s Cathedral, Marcellus (?); (Mar.) Gregory; (Apr.) Mark; (May) James & Philip, Holy Cross; (Jun.) Ursinus, Barnabas, John, Peter & Paul, Paul; (Jul.) Martin, Margaret, Magdalene, James, Anne, (Aug.) Peter, Stephen, Lawrence, Our Lady, Bartholomew, Louis, John; (Sept.) Our Lady, Matthew, Michael, (Oct.) Denis, Michael, Luke (?), Simon; (Nov.) Martin, Clement, Catherine, Andrew; (Dec.) Nicholas, Thomas, Stephen, John, Ursinus; (ff. 13–59) Hours of the Virgin: (ff. 13–21v) Matins; (ff. 22–37v) Lauds, prayers to the saints (ff. 32–37) – Saints: Paul, Peter, Matthias, Philip, Barnabas, James, Bartholomew, Matthew, Luke, Andrew, Thomas, John the Evangelist, John, Eustace, Nicholas, Sebastian; (ff. 38–43) First; (ff. 43v–46v) Terce; (ff. 47–49v) Sext; (ff. 50–53) None; (ff. 53v–55) Vespers; (ff. 55v–59), Conform; (ff. 59v–62) Hours of the Cross; (ff. 62v–64v) Hours of the Holy Spirit; (ff. 65–66) prayer to St Margaret; (ff. 66v-68) prayer to St Catherine; (ff. 68v) lined white; (ff. 69-71v) Obsecro te, using the masculine form for ‘famulo tuo’; (ff. 72–74) O intemerata, using the masculine form for ‘peccatori’; (f. 74v) lined blank; (ff. 75–86v) Penitential Psalms; and following. Litany 86v–90v; (ff. 91–116) Office of the Dead; (f. 116v) lined white. ILLUMINATION 1. f. 13 Annunciation to the Virgin, scroll emerging from the hand of the angel Gabriel: Ave Maria… 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. f. 22 Visitation f. 38 Adoration of the Infant Jesus f. 43v Annunciation to the shepherds, scroll emerging from the angel’s hand: Gloria in excelsis Deo f. 47 Adoration of the Magi f. 50 Flight into Egypt f. 53v Presentation in the Temple f. 55v Coronation of the Virgin f. 59v Crucifixion 10. f. 62v Pentecost 11. f. 65 rue. Margaret; coat of arms 12. f. 66v St Catherine 13. f. 75 David before God 14. f. 91 Funeral Mass LITERATURE Unpublished. (Dexter) Black band running from top left to bottom right with two white fleurs-de-lis; (Left) Black wolf on three red discs. 2. Names of 15th- or 16th-century owners inscribed on the binding: IACQUES GILLES and IACQELINE RENOV… Text – ff. 1–12: Calendar, with the following saints in or [ED1]: (Jan.) Sebastian, Vincent, Paul; (Feb.) Agatha, St Peter’s Cathedral, Marcellus (?); (Mar.) Gregory; (Apr.) Mark; (May) James & Philip, Holy Cross; (Jun.) Ursinus, Barnabas, John, Peter & Paul, Paul; (Jul.) Martin, Margaret, Magdalene, James, Anne, (Aug.) Peter, Stephen, Lawrence, Our Lady, Bartholomew, Louis, John; (Sept.) Our Lady, Matthew, Michael, (Oct.) Denis, Michael, Luke (?), Simon; (Nov.) Martin, Clement, Catherine, Andrew; (Dec.) Nicholas, Thomas, Stephen, John, Ursinus; (ff. 13–59) Hours of the Virgin: (ff. 13–21v) Matins; (ff. 22–37v) Lauds, prayers to the saints (ff. 32–37) - Saints: Paul, Peter, Matthias, Philip, Barnabas, James, Bartholomew, Matthew, Luke, Andrew, Thomas, John the Evangelist, John, Eustace, Nicholas, Sebastian; (ff. 38–43) Prime; (ff. 43v–46v) Terce; (ff. 47–49v) Sext; (ff. 50–53) None; (ff. 53v–55) Vespers; (ff. 55v–59), Conform; (ff. 59v–62) Hours of the Cross; (ff. 62v–64v) Hours of the Holy Spirit; (ff. 65–66) prayer to St Margaret; (ff. 66v–68) prayer to St Catherine; (ff. 68v) lined blank page; (ff. 69–71v) Obsecro te, using the masculine form for ‘famulo tuo’; (ff. 72–74) O intemerata, using the masculine form for ‘peccatori’; (f. 74v) lined blank; (ff. 75–86v) Penitential Psalms; and following Litany 86v-90v; (ff. 91-116) Office of the Dead; (f. 116v) blank with lines. ILLUMINATION 1. f. 13 Annunciation to the Virgin, scroll emerging from the hand of the angel Gabriel: Ave Maria… 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. f. 22 Visitation f. 38 Adoration of the Infant Jesus f. 43v Annunciation to the shepherds, scroll emerging from the angel’s hand: Gloria in excelsis Deo f. 47 Adoration of the Magi f. 50 Flight into Egypt f. 53v Presentation in the Temple f. 55v Coronation of the Virgin f. 59v Crucifixion 10. f. 62v Pentecost 11. f. 65 St. Margaret; coat of arms 12. f. 66v St Catherine 13. f. 75 David before God 14. f. 91 Funeral Mass LITERATURE Unpublished. (Right) Black band running from top left to bottom right with two white fleurs-de-lis; (Left) Black wolf on three red circles. 2. Names of 15th- or 16th-century owners inscribed on the binding: IACQUES GILLES and IACQELINE RENOV… Text – ff. 1–12: Calendar, with the following saints in or [ED1]: (Jan.) Sebastian, Vincent, Paul; (Feb.) Agatha, St Peter’s Cathedral, Marcellus (?) ; (Mar.) Gregory ; (Apr.) Mark ; (May) James & Philip, Holy Cross ; (Jun.) Ursinus, Barnabas, John, Peter & Paul, Paul ; (Jul.) Martin, Margaret, Magdalene, James, Anne, (Aug.) Peter, Stephen, Lawrence, Our Lady, Bartholomew, Louis, John ; (Sept.) Our Lady, Matthew, Michael, (Oct.) Denis, Michael, Luke (?), Simon; (Nov.) Martin, Clement, Catherine, Andrew; (Dec.) Nicholas, Thomas, Stephen, John, Ursinus; (ff. 13–59) Hours of the Virgin: (ff. 13–21v) Matins; (ff. 22–37v) Lauds, prayers to the saints (ff. 32–37) – Saints: Paul, Peter, Matthias, Philip, Barnabas, James, Bartholomew, Matthew, Luke, Andrew, Thomas, John the Evangelist, John, Eustace, Nicholas, Sebastian; (ff. 38–43) Prime; (ff. 43v–46v) Terce; (ff. 47–49v) Sext; (ff. 50–53) None; (ff. 53v–55) Vespers; (ff. 55v–59), Conform; (ff. 59v–62) Hours of the Cross; (ff. 62v–64v) Hours of the Holy Spirit; (ff. 65–66) prayer to St Margaret; (ff. 66v–68) prayer to St Catherine; (ff. 68v) lined blank; (ff. 69–71v) Obsecro te, using the masculine form for ‘famulo tuo’; (ff. 72–74) O intemerata, using the masculine form for ‘peccatori’; (f. 74v) lined blank; (ff. 75–86v) Penitential Psalms; and following Litany 86v-90v; (ff. 91-116) Office of the Dead; (f. 116v) blank with lines. ILLUMINATION 1. f. 13 Annunciation to the Virgin, scroll emerging from the hand of the angel Gabriel: Ave Maria… 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. f. 22 Visitation f. 38 Adoration of the Infant Jesus f. 43v Annunciation to the Shepherds, scroll emerging from the angel’s hand: Gloria in excelsis Deo f. 47 Adoration of the Magi f. 50 Flight into Egypt f. 53v Presentation in the Temple f. 55v Coronation of the Virgin f. 59v Crucifixion 10. f. 62v Pentecost 11. f. 65 Rue Marguerite; coat of arms 12. f. 66v St Catherine 13. f. 75 David before God 14. f. 91 Funeral Mass LITERATURE Unpublished.Andrieu; (deceased) Nicolas, Thomas, Estiene, Iohan, Ursinus; (ff. 13–59) Hours of the Virgin: (ff. 13–21v) Matins; (ff. 22–37v) Lauds, prayers to the saints (ff. 32–37) - Saints: Paul, Peter, Matthias, Philip, Barnabas, James, Bartholomew, Matthew, Luke, Andrew, Thomas, John the Evangelist, John, Eustace, Nicholas, Sebastian; (ff. 38–43) Prime; (ff. 43v–46v) Terce; (ff. 47–49v) Sext; (ff. 50–53) None; (ff. 53v–55) Vespers; (ff. 55v–59), Conform; (ff. 59v–62) Hours of the Cross; (ff. 62v–64v) Hours of the Holy Spirit; (ff. 65–66) prayer to St Margaret; (ff. 66v–68) prayer to St Catherine; (ff. 68v) lined blank page; (ff. 69–71v) Obsecro te, using the masculine form for ‘famulo tuo’; (ff. 72–74) O intemerata, using the masculine form for ‘peccatori’; (f. 74v) lined blank; (ff. 75–86v) Penitential Psalms; and following Litany 86v-90v; (ff. 91-116) Office of the Dead; (f. 116v) blank with lines. ILLUMINATION 1. f. 13 Annunciation to the Virgin, scroll emerging from the hand of the angel Gabriel: Ave Maria… 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. f. 22 Visitation f. 38 Adoration of the Infant Jesus f. 43v Annunciation to the shepherds, scroll emerging from the angel’s hand: Gloria in excelsis Deo f. 47 Adoration of the Magi f. 50 Flight into Egypt f. 53v Presentation in the Temple f. 55v Coronation of the Virgin f. 59v Crucifixion 10. f. 62v Pentecost 11. f. 65 Rue Marguerite; coat of arms 12. f. 66v St. Catherine 13. f. 75 David before God 14. f. 91 Funeral Mass LITERATURE Unpublished. Andrieu; (dec.) Nicolas, Thomas, Estiene, Iohan, Ursinus; (ff. 13–59) Hours of the Virgin: (ff. 13–21v) Matins; (ff. 22–37v) Lauds, prayers to the saints (ff. 32–37) – Saints: Paul, Peter, Matthias, Philip, Barnabas, James, Bartholomew, Matthew, Luke, Andrew, Thomas, John the Evangelist, John, Eustace, Nicholas, Sebastian; (ff. 38–43) First; (ff. 43v-46v) Terce; (ff. 47-49v) Sext; (ff. 50-53) None; (ff. 53v-55) Vespers; (ff. 55v-59), Conform; (ff. 59v–62) Hours of the Cross; (ff. 62v–64v) Hours of the Holy Spirit; (ff. 65–66) prayer to St Margaret; (ff. 66v–68) prayer to St Catherine; (ff. 68v) lined blank; (ff. 69–71v) Obsecro te, using the masculine form for ‘famulo tuo’; (ff. 72–74) O intemerata, using the masculine form for ‘peccatori’; (f. 74v) lined blank; (ff. 75–86v) Psalms of Penitence; and following. Litany 86v-90v; (ff. 91-116) Office of the Dead; (f. 116v) lined white. ILLUMINATION 1. f. 13 Annunciation to the Virgin, scroll emerging from the hand of the angel Gabriel: Ave Maria… 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. f. 22 Visitation f. 38 Adoration of the Infant Jesus f. 43v Annunciation to the shepherds, scroll emerging from the angel’s hand: Gloria in excelsis Deo f. 47 Adoration of the Magi f. 50 Flight into Egypt f. 53v Presentation in the Temple f. 55v Coronation of the Virgin f. 59v Crucifixion 10. f. 62v Pentecost 11. f. 65 Rue Marguerite; coat of arms 12. f. 66v St. Catherine 13. f. 75 David before God 14. f. 91 Funeral Mass LITERATURE Unpublished.