Calendar leaf January through April c 1518 (4 Months)

$0.00

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 formssuch as the Adoration of the Magi.

Among the Saints listed for January are: Julien, Paul, Fabian & Agnes; for February: Blaise, Agatha, Dorothy, Valentine & Matthew; for March:  Perpetua, Adrian, Gregory & Rupert;  for April:  Mary of Egypt, Richard, Ambrose, Helena & Simon.

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 archibal 14 x 11'' mat

  • Inventory# IM-11676
Sold Out