Book of Hours Calendar Leaf for December, c. 1430-50

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Original leaf from a medieval manuscript Book of Hours. Red-ruled for 16 lines of text, written in French in angular batarde script with dark brown ink, on animal vellum. (108x78mm).

Major feast days in red (origin of term ‘red-letter day’). Large illuminated ''KL'' initials (for KALENDS) are in red with delicate deep blue penwork.

Northern France, Use of Amiens, c. 1430-50 – likely written for a noblewoman.

Among the feasts listed are St. Francis Nicholas (6th - patron saint of children), St. Andrew (7th),   St. Barbara (16th - patron saint of architects), St. Thomas the Apostle  (21st), and St. Thomas Becket of Canterbury (28th).

Left of the saints’ days are repeating letters A - G called Dominical Letters since they 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 throughout the year (year + 1; divide by 19; remainder is Golden Number - if zero GN = 19). Finally: each month had 3 fixed points: Kalends (1st day) Ides (middle) & Nones (9th day before Ides). All days in between were counted backwards from these points.

Shipped in archival 14x11'' mat.

 

  • Inventory# IM-10066
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