Walters Ms. W.204, Book of Hours

W.204

Book of Hours

Book of Hours

This Flemish Book of Hours was produced between 1470 and 1480, most likely in either western Flanders or northern France, and probably for an ecclesiastical patron. The significant number of saints in the calendar affiliated with the diocese of Thérouanne, and more broadly northwestern Flanders, may indicate the region of production. The twenty-three full-page polychrome miniatures and six historiated initials show an influence of Simon Marmion, who was active at Valenciennes in the second half of the fifteenth century, and possibly Colin of Amiens, who was active in Paris and Tournai during the same period.

Ca. 1470-80 CE

West Flanders (?)

Book

Devotional

The primary language in this manuscript is Latin.

Parchment

Thin to medium-weight parchment

Foliation: ii+301+ii

Flyleaf i and endleaf ii are backed with the same woven silk used for the front and back pastedowns; foliated in pencil in upper-right corners of recto sides

Formula: Quire 1: 16 (fols. 1-16); Quire 2: 12 (fols. 17-28); Quire 3: 4 (fols. 29-32); Quire 4: 12 (fols. 33-44); Quire 5: 16 (fols. 45-56); Quires 6-7: 8 (fols. 57-72); Quire 8: 8, with eighth folio cancelled (fols. 73-79); Quire 9: 8 (fols. 80-87); Quire 10: 4 (fols. 88-91); Quires 11-15: 8 (fols. 92-131); Quire 16: 10 (fols. 132-141); Quire 17: 10, with the tenth folio cancelled (fols. 142-150); Quire 18: 6, with the fifth and sixth folios cancelled (fols. 151-154); Quires 19-25: 8 (fols. 155-210); Quire 26: 6 (fols. 211-216); Quire 27: 8, with first and second folios cancelled (fols. 217-222); Quires 28-33: 8 (fols. 223-270); Quire 34: 10, with tenth folio cancelled (fols. 271-279); Quires 35-36: 8 (fols. 280-295); Quire 37: 6 (fols. 296-301)

Comments:

5.75 cm wide by 9.5 cm high

2.5 cm wide by 4.5 cm high

1. Columns: 1-4
2. Ruled lines: 15-16
3. Calendar has written surface of 5.25 x 2.75

fols. 1r - 301v:

1. Title: Book of Hours
2. Hand note: Littera batarda
3. Decoration note: Twenty-three full-page miniatures; six historiated initials; margins of most folios decorated with polychrome and gilded floral motifs; decorated initials marking secondary (2 lines) and tertiary (1 line) text divisions are rendered in blue and red pigment with gilding; rubrics and major feast days in red ink; text in brown ink

fols. 1r - 12v:

1. Title: Calendar
2. Rubric: Januarius
3. Contents: Calendar half-full, graded in red and brown; contains a significant number of northern French and southern Netherlandish saints, of whom many are affiliated specifically with the diocese of Thérouanne, including Hunfrid (Mar. 8), Silas (July 13), Wulmar and Margaret (July 20), Maximus (Sept. 13; Oct. 2; Nov. 27), Eustace, and Folkwin and Nicasius (Dec. 14 and 16); early additions that indicate a Carthusian influence include Hilary of Poitiers (Jan. 12), Anthony Abbot (Jan. 17), Macarius (Jan. 22), Paula (Jan. 27), Thomas Aquinas (Mar. 7), Longinus (Mar. 15), Hugh (Apr. 1), Dionysius of Corinth (Apr. 8), the prophet Ezekiel (Apr. 10), Catherine of Siena (Apr. 30), and Hilary of Arles (May 5)
4. Decoration note: Gilded "KL" initials against blue and red ground

fols. 13r - 18v:

1. Title: Gospel excerpts
2. Rubric: Secundum iohannes
3. Incipit: In principio erat verbum
4. Decoration note: Four historiated initials on fols. 13r, 14r, 16r, and 17v

fols. 19r - 48v:

1. Title: Hours for the days of the week
2. Rubric: Secuntur hore trinitatis que dicuntur die dominica
3. Incipit: Domine labia mea aperies
4. Decoration note: Seven full-page miniatures on fols. 19r, 23r, 28r, 32r, 36r, 40r, and 45r

fols. 48v - 56v:

1. Title: Mass of the Virgin
2. Rubric: Incipiunt hore nostre domine
3. Incipit: Introibo ad altare dei
4. Decoration note: One full-page miniature on fol. 49r

fols. 57r - 72v:

1. Title: Suffrages
2. Incipit: Gaude iohannes baptista que in ventris clausis cista congaudebat domino
3. Decoration note: Four full-page miniatures on fols. 57r, 60v, 61v, and 62v

fols. 73r - 142v:

1. Title: Hours of the Virgin
2. Incipit: Domine labia mea aperies
3. Decoration note: Eight full-page miniatures on fols. 73r, 96r, 109r, 114v, 119v, 124r, 129r, and 137v

fols. 142v - 154v:

1. Title: Advent Office of the Virgin
2. Rubric: Incipit officium beate marie quod dicitur per totum aduentum. Ad vesperas. antiphona.
3. Incipit: Deus in adiutorium meum intende
4. Decoration note: One full-page miniature on fol. 143r

fols. 155r - 178v:

1. Title: Seven Penitential Psalms
2. Incipit: Domine ne in furore tuo
3. Decoration note: One full-page miniature on fol. 155r

fols. 179r - 231v:

1. Title: Office of the Dead
2. Rubric: Antiphona
3. Incipit: Placebo. Dilexi quoniam exaudiet dominus: vocem orationis meae.
4. Decoration note: One full-page miniature on fol. 179r

fols. 232r - 235v:

1. Title: Prayer to the Virgin
2. Rubric: Sequitur oratio devota de gloriosa virgine maria
3. Incipit: O intemerata et in eternum benedicta

fols. 236r - 256v:

1. Title: Suffrages
2. Rubric: De sancta barbara virgine ac martyre. antiphona.
3. Incipit: O beata barbara deoque virgo electa
4. Decoration note: Three full-page miniatures on fols. 252r, 254r, and 255v; two historiated initials on fols. 236r and 238r

fols. 257r - 271r:

1. Title: Communion prayers, psalms, antiphons, and versicles
2. Rubric: Preparatio ad communionem
3. Incipit: Sancti spiritus assit nobis gracia.

fols. 272r - 301v:

1. Title: Devotional prayers, antiphons, versicles, and hymns
2. Rubric: Contra tempestatem
3. Incipit: Mentem sanctam spontaneam honorem deo et patrie liberationem xristus vincit xristus regnat.

fol. 13r:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "I" with Evangelist portrait of St. John
3. Form: Historiated initial "I," 7 lines
4. Text: John 1:1-14

fol. 14r:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "I" with Evangelist portrait of St. Luke
3. Form: Historiated initial "I," 6 lines
4. Text: Luke 1:26-38

fol. 16r:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "C" with Evangelist portrait of St. Matthew
3. Form: Historiated initial "C," 7 lines
4. Text: Matthew 2:1-12

fol. 17v:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "I" with Evangelist portrait of St. Mark
3. Form: Historiated initial "I," 6 lines
4. Text: Mark 16:14-20

fol. 19r:

1. 
2. Title: Trinity seated on the Throne of Grace
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours for Sunday

fol. 23r:

1. 
2. Title: Funeral service
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours for Monday

fol. 28r:

1. 
2. Title: Pentecost
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of Tuesday

fol. 32r:

1. 
2. Title: All Saints
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours for Wednesday

fol. 36r:

1. 
2. Title: Cleric kneeling before an altar
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours for Thursday

fol. 40r:

1. 
2. Title: Crucifixion
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours for Friday

fol. 45r:

1. 
2. Title: Meeting of Joachim and Anne
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours for Saturday

fol. 49r:

1. 
2. Title: Priest elevating the host for Mass
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Mass of the Virgin

fol. 57r:

1. 
2. Title: St. John the Baptist
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Suffrage of St. John the Baptist

fol. 60v:

1. 
2. Title: St. John the Evangelist blesses a poisoned chalice
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Suffrage to St. John the Evangelist

fol. 61v:

1. 
2. Title: SS. Peter and Paul
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Suffrage to SS. Peter and Paul

fol. 62v:

1. 
2. Title: St. Andrew
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Suffrage to St. Andrew

fol. 73r:

1. 
2. Title: Annunciation
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Matins

fol. 96r:

1. 
2. Title: Visitation
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Lauds

fol. 109r:

1. 
2. Title: Nativity
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Prime

fol. 114v:

1. 
2. Title: Annunciation to the Shepherds
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Terce

fol. 119v:

1. 
2. Title: Adoration of the Magi
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Sext

fol. 124r:

1. 
2. Title: Presentation in the Temple
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: None

fol. 129r:

1. 
2. Title: Flight into Egypt
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Vespers

fol. 137v:

1. 
2. Title: Blessing of the Virgin
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Compline

fol. 143r:

1. 
2. Title: Virgin of the Apocalypse
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Advent Office of the Virgin

fol. 155r:

1. 
2. Title: Penitent King David
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Seven Penitential Psalms

fol. 179r:

1. 
2. Title: Raising of Lazarus
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Office of the Dead

fol. 236r:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "O" with St. Barbara
3. Form: Historiated initial "O," 8 lines
4. Text: Suffrage to St. Barbara

fol. 238r:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "B" with St. Christopher
3. Form: Historiated initial "B," 9 lines
4. Text: Suffrage of St. Christopher

fol. 252r:

1. 
2. Title: St. Claudius
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Suffrage to St. Claudius

fol. 254r:

1. 
2. Title: St. Sebastian
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Suffrage to St. Sebastian

fol. 255v:

1. 
2. Title: St. Adrian
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Suffrage to St. Adrian

The binding is not original.

Rebound with green velvet ca. 1900 in either Belgium or France; gilded-silver clasps, catch-plates, and corner-guards decorated with floral motifs and birds on the upper and lower boards and date to 1637 (Arabic inscription for the Amsterdam hallmark on the inner clasp plates); fore-edge, head, and tail are gilded and impressed with arabesques and crosses

Made in Flanders or possibly northern France ca. 1470-80 for Use of Rome; Office of the Dead is for Use of Sarum; original owner may have been a cleric affiliated with the diocese of Thérouanne, based on local saints listed in the calendar, or Ghent and Malines, based on the suffrage to St. Godelieva (fol. 70v)

Gold lion in two initials on fols. 85v and 143r may be emblem of early owner

Coat of arms of the de Sains-Ailly family from Picardy appears on fol. 129r and was added to the manuscript early

Henry Walters, Baltimore, purchased between 1895 and 1931

Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters' bequest

De Ricci, Seymour. Census of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the United States and Canada. Vol. 1. New York: H. W. Wilson Company, 1935; p. 798, cat. no. 263.

Miner, D. The History of Bookbinding, 525-1950 A.D, exhibition catalogue. Baltimore: Trustees of the Walters Art Gallery, 1957; p. 53, cat. no. 124.

Bowles, E. A. "A Checklist of Musical Instruments in Fifteenth-Century Illuminated Manuscripts at the Walters Art Gallery." Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association 32, no. 4 (1976): 719-726; p. 723.

Owens, M. B. "Musical Subjects in the Illumination of Books of Hours from Fifteenth-Century France and Flanders." Ph.D. diss. University of Chicago, 1987; p. 403.

Randall, Lilian M. C. Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the Walters Art Gallery. Vol. 3, Belgium, 1250-1530. Baltimore, London: Johns Hopkins University Press in association with the Walters Art Gallery, 1997, Part 2; pp. 371-381, cat. no. 274.

Hans-Collas, Illona, and Hanno Wijsman. "Le Livre d’heures et de prières d’Agnès de Bourgogne, duchesse de Bourbon." Art de l'enluminure 29 (2009): 20-47; p. 44.

Principal cataloger: Randall, Lilian M.C.

Cataloger: Dennis, Nathan S

Editor: Herbert, Lynley

Copy editor: Dibble, Charles

Conservators: Owen, Linda; Quandt, Abigail

Contributors: Emery, Doug; Noel, William; Schuele, Allyson; Tabritha, Ariel; Toth, Michael B.; Wiegand, Kimber

The Walters Art Museum

Licensed for use under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Access Rights, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/legalcode. It is requested that copies of any published articles based on the information in this data set be sent to the curator of manuscripts, The Walters Art Museum, 600 North Charles Street, Baltimore MD 21201.