Original leaf from a printed & hand-illuminated Book of Hours. Thirty-four lines of ruled Latin text, printed in red & black on animal vellum.(178 x 115mm – 7 x 4 ½’’)
Four illuminated two-line “KL” initials in gold alternating on a red-orange or deep blue ground.
Printed by Gilles Hardouyn & hand-painted in the workshop of Germain Hardouyn - brother of the printer & a highly skilled illuminator. Paris (Use of Rome), c. 1518.
Noted for its DECORATIVE BORDERS - the paneled surrounds are historiated (containing identifiable scenes or figures) or inhabited forms – including St. John in boiling oil.
Among the Saints listed for May are: Philip & James, Anthony, Isidore & Felix; for June: Justin, Claudius & Barnabus; for July: Alexis, Margaret, Victor & Martha; for August: Stephen, Clare, Bernard & Bartholomew.
Left are letters A - G called Dominical Letters (to help find Sundays). Far left is a column of Roman numerals i - xix called Golden Numbers to indicate appearances of new moons, & counting ahead 14 days, full moons through the year (year + 1; divide by 19; remainder is Golden Number - if zero GN = 19). The 3 fixed points: Kalends (1st) Ides (middle) & Nones (9th day before Ides). Days between are counted backwards from these points.
Presented in an archival 14 x 11'' mat