Book of Hours Calendar Leaf - July & August, c 1490

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Original leaf from a manuscript Book of Hours. 17 lines of red ruled text, written in French in angular gothic book-hand script on animal vellum. (160x110mm) 

Large illuminated “KL” initials (abbreviations for KALENDS) are in red, blue & white on gold ground. Panel surrounds are in rust, blue & gray with gold tracery. Days are in gold, and Saints’ names and Feasts in gold, red, or blue.

France: Rouen; Use of Rouen, c. 1490

The two finely worked miniatures at the bottom of each month depict the labor of the month (July: reaping – August: Winnowing) & zodiacal sign, as per the 1490 calendar (July: Leo – August: Virgo).  Style & execution closely related to the Master of the Geneva Latini (see Walter 224 & 233).

Among the saints listed are: St. Martin (July 4th), St. Mary Magdalene (July 22nd),  St. Anne (July 26th), St. Peter (August 1st), St. Justin(August 8th),  and St. John the Baptist (August 29th).

To the left of the list of saints’ days are repeating series of letters A - G called Dominical Letters since they help find Sundays (after many calculations). At the 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. 

Presented in an archival 14 x 11'' mat

  • Inventory# IM-2800
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