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Walters Ms. W.172, Book of Hours, Use of Augustinian Canons of Windesheim Chapter

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Shelf mark

W.172


Manuscript

Book of Hours, Use of Augustinian Canons of Windesheim Chapter


Text title
Book of Hours

Abstract

Completed for liturgical use of the Augustinian Canons of the Windesheim Chapter ca. 1450, this Book of Hours features eleven extant miniatures and nine historiated initials. The manuscript was illuminated by the Master of the Ghent Privileges and associates, possibly in Tournai. The first owner's association with Ghent as a cleric is evinced in the graded calendar, with possible visual references on fols. 1r and 82v. Along with occasional marginal additions, this Book of Hours also features some heraldry that attests to a cherished history.


Date

Ca. 1450 CE


Origin

Flanders


Artist

Supplied name: Master of the Ghent Privileges and associates


Form

Book


Genre

Devotional


Language:

The primary language in this manuscript is Latin.


Support material

Parchment

Medium to heavy parchment, well prepared


Extent

Foliation: ii+121+ii

Flyleaves are wove paper; front flyleaf ii has a watermark with the word "HILD," and back flyleaf i has a unicorn watermark


Collation

Formula: Quire 1: 6 (fols. 1-6); Quire 2: 8, with first folio added (fols. 7-15); Quire 3: 8, with fifth folio added (fols. 16-24); Quire 4: 8, with fourth and eighth folios added (fols. 25-34); Quire 5: 8, with first, fourth, and seventh folios added (fols. 35-45); Quire 6: 8, with first and sixth folios added (fols. 46-55); Quire 7: 8, with fifth, sixth, and seventh folios cancelled (fols. 56-60); Quires 8-9: 8 (fols. 61-76); Quire 10: 8, with fifth folio added (fols. 77-85); Quires 11-13: 8 (fols. 86-109); Quire 14: 10, with first folio cancelled (fols. 110-118); Quire 15: 4, with fourth folio cancelled (fols. 119-121)

Catchwords: None

Signatures: None

Comments:


Dimensions

16.3 cm wide by 21.7 cm high


Written surface

8.9 cm wide by 14.5 cm high


Layout
fols. 1r - 121v:
  1. Columns: 1
  2. Ruled lines: 19
  3. Layout does not apply to the calendar (5 columns, 33 lines), or the added text on fols. 118r-120v (9 four-line staffs per page, with text filling entire page including margins)
fols. 118r - 122v:
  1. Layout differs from rest of manuscript: nine groups of four-line staffs per page; text and musical notation fill entire page and leave no margin

Contents:
fols. 1r - 121v:
  1. Title: Book of Hours
  2. Artist: Master of the Ghent Privileges and associates
  3. Hand note: Written in textura; added Hufnagel musical notation in later, seventeenth-century hand
  4. Decoration note: Ten extant full-page miniatures; one large miniature (14 lines) and nine historiated initials (7-10 lines) within foliate margins face full-page miniatures; occasional marginalia; decorated initials in gold, blue, and rose throughout (2-5 lines) including KL in calendar; flourished versals in alternating red and blue; rubrics in red; text in black ink
fols. 1r - 6v:
  1. Title: Calendar
  2. Rubric: Januarius
  3. Contents: One-half to two-thirds full; graded in red and black; contents indicate Windesheim liturgical useage; notable saints include: Gertrude (Mar. 16, usually 17), Benedict (Mar. 20, usually 21), George (Apr. 23), Walburga (May 1), Our Lady of Martyrs (May 13), Lawrence (Aug. 10), Hippolytus (Aug. 14, usually 13), Assumption (Aug. 16, usually 15), Bernard (Aug. 16, usually 15), Augustine (Aug. 28), Augustine (Oct. 2, translation), Livin (Nov. 12)
fols. 7v - 50v:
  1. Title: Hours of the Virgin
  2. Rubric: Incipiunt hore beate virginis. Ad matutinas.
  3. Incipit: Domine labia mea
  4. Decoration note: Eight full-page miniatures on fols. 7v, 20v, 28v, 32v, 35v, 38v, 41v, and 46v; one large miniature on fol. 8r; seven historiated initials on fols. 21r, 29r, 33r, 36r, 39r, 42r, and 47r
fols. 50v - 60v:
  1. Title: Devotional sequence
  2. Rubric: Incipiunt hore de sancta cruce. Ad matutinas.
  3. Contents: Devotional sequence beginning with Hours of the Cross with rhyming and short lines, Matins followed by verse prayer to Christ; fols. 58r-59r: four suffrages (Cross, Virgin, Augustine, and All Saints), closing prayers; fols 59v-60v: cues for Fifteen Gradual Psalms, three groups of five psalms each with each group followed by invocations and prayer
  4. Decoration note: One full-page miniature on fol. 51v
fols. 61r - 68r:
  1. Title: Seven penitential psalms
  2. Incipit: Domine ne infurore
  3. Decoration note: Historiated initial fol. 61r
fols. 68r - 80v:
  1. Title: Litany, petitions, collects, and prayers
  2. Rubric: Letania
  3. Incipit: Kyrieleyson
  4. Contents: Fol. 68r-71r: Litany, with a mix of northern and southern Netherlandish saints, including St. John the Baptist alone in group of patriarchs and prophets; sixteen apostles from Peter to Mark; twenty-six martyrs, including Ignatius, Peter (martyr), Pontianus, Lambert, Dionysius, Boniface, and Gereon; twenty confessors, including Augustine, Jerome, Nicholas, Remigius, Hilary, Servatius, Willibrord, Lebuin, and Odulph; sixteen virgins including Mary Magdalene, Agnes, Walburga, Gertrude, Ursula, and Elizabeth; fols. 71r-72v: Petitions; fols. 72v-73r: Prayer, "Preces" (Ego dixi domine); fols. 73r-74v: Four collects; fols. 75r-v: Four prayers about the Passion; fols. 76r-80v: Prayer asking for the remission of sins and the mercy of Christ, the Virgin, saints, angels, archangels, evangelists (specifically Peter the apostle and Archangel Michael)
fols. 80v - 117v:
  1. Title: Office of the Dead, nine lessons, and prayers
  2. Rubric: Incipiunt vigilie mortuorum.
  3. Incipit: Dilexi quoniam exaudiet
  4. Contents: Fols. 82r-117v: Office of the Dead; fols. 109r-112r: Nine lessons; fols. 112r-117v: Communion prayers (the second drawn from Geert Grote's Hours of Eternal wisdom)
  5. Hand note: Seventeenth-century hand has added notated responsories and antiphons in margins
  6. Decoration note: Full-page miniature fol. 81v; historiated initial fol. 82r
fols. 118r - 122v:
  1. Title: Added Magnificat
  2. Incipit: Credo quod redemptor meus
  3. Contents: Text and musical notation added in seventeenth century; notated Magnificat in first nocturn in Office of the Dead (fol. 122r-v ruled with four-line staffs but otherwise blank)
  4. Hand note: Later, seventeenth-century hand

Decoration:

fol. 7v:

  1. W.172, fol. 7v
  2. Title: Agony in the garden of Gethsemane
  3. Form: Full-page miniature
  4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Matins

fol. 8r:

  1. W.172, fol. 8r
  2. Title: Annunciation
  3. Form: Large miniature, 28 lines
  4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Matins

fol. 20v:

  1. W.172, fol. 20v
  2. Title: Betrayal and arrest of Christ
  3. Form: Full-page miniature
  4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Lauds

fol. 21r:

  1. W.172, fol. 21r
  2. Title: Initial "D" with the Visitation
  3. Form: Historiated initial "D," 7 lines
  4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Lauds

fol. 28v:

  1. W.172, fol. 28v
  2. Title: Christ before Pilate
  3. Form: Full-page miniature
  4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Prime

fol. 29r:

  1. W.172, fol. 29r
  2. Title: Initial "D" with the Annunciation to the shepherds
  3. Form: Historiated initial "D," 7 lines
  4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Prime

fol. 32v:

  1. W.172, fol. 32v
  2. Title: Flagellation
  3. Form: Full-page miniature
  4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Terce

fol. 33r:

  1. W.172, fol. 33r
  2. Title: Initial "D" with the Nativity
  3. Form: Historiated initial "D," 7 lines
  4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Terce

fol. 35v:

  1. W.172, fol. 35v
  2. Title: Christ carrying the cross
  3. Form: Full-page miniature
  4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Sext

fol. 36r:

  1. W.172, fol. 36r
  2. Title: Initial "D" with the Adoration of the Magi
  3. Form: Historiated initial "D," 7 lines
  4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Sext

fol. 38v:

  1. W.172, fol. 38v
  2. Title: Crucifixion
  3. Form: Full-page miniature
  4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: None

fol. 39r:

  1. W.172, fol. 39r
  2. Title: Initial "D" with the Presentation in the Temple
  3. Form: Historiated initial "D," 7 lines
  4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: None

fol. 41v:

  1. W.172, fol. 41v
  2. Title: Deposition
  3. Form: Full-page miniature
  4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Vespers

fol. 42r:

  1. W.172, fol. 42r
  2. Title: Initial "D" with the Flight into Egypt
  3. Form: Historiated initial "D," 9 lines
  4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Vespers

fol. 46v:

  1. W.172, fol. 46v
  2. Title: Entombment
  3. Form: Full-page miniature
  4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Compline

fol. 47r:

  1. W.172, fol. 47r
  2. Title: Initial "C" with the Massacre of an Innocent
  3. Form: Historiated initial "C," 7 lines
  4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Compline

fol. 51v:

  1. W.172, fol. 51v
  2. Title: Virgin of Humility
  3. Form: Full-page miniature
  4. Text: Hours of the Cross

fol. 61r:

  1. W.172, fol. 61r
  2. Title: Initial "D" with King David penitent
  3. Form: Historiated initial "D," 9 lines
  4. Text: Seven penitential psalms

fol. 81v:

  1. W.172, fol. 81v
  2. Title: Funeral service and Purgatory
  3. Form: Full-page miniature
  4. Text: Office of the dead

fol. 82r:

  1. W.172, fol. 82r
  2. Title: Initial "D" with the Raising of Lazarus
  3. Form: Historiated initial "D," 10 lines
  4. Text: Office of the dead: Vespers

Binding

The binding is not original.

Rebound with red-brown velvet in Belgium (?), late nineteenth century; spine rounded, backed at that time; endbands glued, with striped cloth around cord core; edges speckled with red; pastedowns and facing flyleaves made of purple-gray and white marbleized paper


Provenance

Made for a cleric in the 1450s, likely for the use of the Augustinian Canons of the Windesheim Chapter; illuminated possibly in Tournai by the Master of the Ghent Privileges and associates; calendar saints suggest an association with Ghent

Havet family of Tournai (?), late fifteenth century, suggested by an added armorial that appears similar to that of the Havet family (fol. 8r)

Sixteenth-century inscription in pale ink, "servio Alberto Godefrido Cluter..." (bottom margin, fol. 1r); date appears to be "1504" when viewed under ultraviolet light

Unknown owner numbered manuscript in modern pencil "N. 1200" on front flyleaf ii, r

Gruel and Engelmann, Paris, late nineteenth or early twentieth century, their bookplate inscribed with "No. 60" on front pastedown

Henry Walters, Baltimore, purchased from Gruel before 1931


Acquisition

Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters' bequest


Bibliography

De Ricci, Seymour, and W. J. Wilson. Census of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the United States and Canada. Vol. 1. New York: H. W. Wilson Company, 1935; p. 788, cat. no. 195.

Delaissé, L.M.J. "An Exhibition of Netherlandish Book Illumination, April 22 through May 12" at Oberlin College. Allen Memorial Art Museum Bulletin 17 (1960): 94-113; cat. no. 31.

Van Buren, A. Review of Die illuminierten handschriften und inkunabeln der österreichischen Nationalbibliothek, ser. 1/6: Flämische Schule I by Otto Pächt, Ulrike Jenni, and Dagmar Thoss. Art Bulletin 67 (1985): 327-331; pp. 328.

Dogaer, G. Flemish Miniature Painting in the 15th and 16th Centuries. Amsterdam: B.M. Israel BV, 1987; pp. 31.

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: 389.

Wieck, Roger Seymour. Time Sanctified: The Book of Hours in Medieval Art and Life. Exhibition Catalogue. Baltimore, Walters Art Gallery. NY: George Braiziller, 1988; pp. 30, 71, 210: no. 85, Pl. 27.

Stejskal, K. "Reportáž o cestě za francouzskými a belgickými illuminátory rukopisů v pražské Národní knihovné." Dějiny a Současnos. Kulturně Historická Revue 16 (1994): 37-42; p. 41.

Wieck, Roger S. "Inventive Efficiency from the Master of Ghent Privileges; or, A Little Bit of Hell Goes a Long Way." In Medieval Codiology, Iconography, Literature, and Translation: Studies for Keith Val Sinclair, edited by P.R. Monks and D.D.R. Owen. Leiden: Litterae Textuales, 1994; p. 137, Fig. 45.

Bousmanne, Bernard. Item à Guillaume Wyelant aussi enlumineur: Willem Vrelant, un aspect de l'enluminure dans les Pays-Bas méridionaux sous le mécénat des ducs de Bourgogne Philippe le Bon et Charles le Téméraire. Bibliothèque Royale de Belgique. Turnhout: Brepols, 1997; p. 354 (n. 37),

Randall, Lilian M. C. Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the Walters Art Gallery. Vol. 3, Belgium, 1250-1530. Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins University Press in association with the Walters Art Gallery, 1997; pp; 219-226, cat. no. 245.

Cardon, Bert. "The Portfolio of a Bruges Miniaturist in the Mid-Fifteenth Century." In "Als Ich Can": Liber Amicorum in Memory of Professor Dr. Maurits Smeyers, edited by Bert Cardon, Jan Van der Stock, and Dominique Vanwijnsberghe, 319-355, vol. 1. Leuven: Peeters Press, 2002; p. 337.

Clark, Gregory T. Made in Flanders: The Master of the Ghent Privileges and Manuscript Painting in the Southern Netherlands in the Time of Philip the Good. Turnhout: Brepols, 2000; pp. 29-31, 33, 47, 54, 58, 65-66, 79-80, 83, 92, 94-95, 97, 122, 129, 131-32 135, 139, 141, 160, 163-164, 167, 171, 189-191, Figs. 10-11, 93-104.

Smeyers, Katharina. "Iconographic Cycles in Légendes Dorées." In Manuscripts in Transition: Recycling Manuscripts, Texts, and Images. Proceedings of the International Congres held in Brussels (5-9 November 2002). Edited by Brigitte Dekeyzer and Jan van der Stock, 285-290. Leuven: Uitgeverij Peeters, 2005; pp. 286, 290 (n. 17).

Clark, Gregory T. "'Made In Flanders' and the Master of the Ghent Privileges: A Second Coda." In Tributes in Honor of James H. Marrow: Studies in Painting and Manuscript Illumination of the late Middle Ages and Northern Renaissance. Edited by Jeffrey F. Hamburger, James H. Marrow, and A. S. Korteweg, 155-172. Turnhout, Belgium: Harvey Miller, 2006; p. 156.

Reynolds, Catherine. "The Undecorated Margin: The Fashion for Luxury Books without Borders." In Flemish Manuscript Painting in Context: Recent Research, edited by Elizabeth Morrison and Thomas Kren, 9-26. Los Angeles: Getty Publications, 2006; pp. 13, 24.

Scillia, Diane. "The Master of the Tiburtine Sibyl's Raising of Lazarus (Mexico City, San Carlos Museum) and the Early Haarlem School of Painting Reconsidered." In Tributes in Honor of James H. Marrow: Studies in Painting and Manuscript Illumination of the late Middle Ages and Northern Renaissance. Edited by Jeffrey F. Hamburger, James H. Marrow, and A. S. Korteweg, 453-464. Turnhout, Belgium: Harvey Miller, 2006; pp. 457-459.

König, Eberhard. "Zur Farbigkeit der verbannten Gefangennahme im Turiner Gebetbuch." In Quand la peinture était dans les livres: Mélanges en l'honneur de François Avril. Edited by Mara Hofmann, Caroline Zöhl, Eberhard König, Jonathan James Graham Alexander, and Lucy Freeman Sandler, 111-128. Turnhout: Brepols, 2007; pp. 121, 122, 126.


Contributors

Principal cataloger: Randall, Lilian M.C.

Catalogers: Herbert, Lynley; Herbold, Rebekah

Editor: Herbert, Lynley

Copy editor: Wallace, Susan

Conservators: Owen, Linda; Quandt, Abigail

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


Publisher

The Walters Art Museum


License

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.