Walters Ms. W.167, Amherst Hours

W.167

Amherst Hours

Book of Hours

Authority name: Suso, Henry, 1295-1366

Known as: Henricus Suso

Known as: Heinrich Seuse

This book of hours was written in Dutch in the fifteenth century for the use of Utrecht. The Hours of the Virgin and of the Cross are accompanied here by the Dutch translation of Henry Suso's "Cursus aeternae sapientiae," a text that was particularly popular for private devotion in the Netherlands. Once owned by the English collector Lord Amherst, the manuscript is exceptional for its extensive illumination. Webs of foliage cover every margin, most sprouting medallions containing flora and fauna. The divisions in the text are marked by twenty richly painted full-page miniatures, often accompanied by related marginalia. Further illumination in the form of historiated and foliate initials marks minor breaks in the text, and the overall effect is a visual feast for the reader.

15th century CE

Netherlands

Book

Devotional

The primary language in this manuscript is Dutch; Flemish.

Parchment

Very thin to medium-weight parchment, well finished but worn

Foliation: ii+129+ii

Flyleaves not original, made of eighteenth-century laid paper; portion of watermark "JHO" visible on front flyleaf ii, and portion of "EN" watermark visible on back flyleaf i

Formula: 1-2(6), 3-4(8), 5(6), 6(10), 7(6), 8(8), 9(8,-8), 10-11(8), 12(10,-5,-7), 13-17(8)

Catchwords: None

Signatures: None

Comments: Quires begin on fols. 1(1), 7(2), 13(3), 21(4), 29(5), 35(6), 45(7), 51(8), 59(9), 66(10), 74(11), 82(12), 90(13), 98(14), 106(15), 114(16), 122(17)

11.3 cm wide by 15.5 cm high

5.4 cm wide by 7.2 cm high

1. Columns: 1
2. Ruled lines: 15-16
3. Ruled in ink

fols. 1r - 129r:

1. Title: Book of Hours
2. Author: Suso, Henry, 1295-1366
3. Hand note: Gothic bookhand
4. Decoration note: Twenty full-page miniatures, one large historiated initial (7 lines), three small historiated initials (3-5 lines), one large decorated initial (9 lines); foliate margins with five medallions per page (3-4 lines) containing saints, grotesques, flowers and peacocks (true of almost entire manuscript, with main exception being margins around full-page miniatures); small decorated initials (1-3 lines) and geometric line fillers throughout in gold, blue and pink with white accents; rubrics in red, text in brown ink

fols. 1r - 12v:

1. Title: Calendar
2. Rubric: Januarius
3. Contents: Calendar for use of Utrecht; full, graded in red and black
4. Decoration note: Medallions with saints on rectos

fols. 13v - 47v:

1. Title: Hours of the Virgin: Matins to None
2. Author: Suso, Henry, 1295-1366
3. Incipit: Here du salt opdoen mijne lippen
4. Contents: Hours of the Virgin divided into two parts, with Mass of the Virgin, Gospel readings, and Creed embedded within
5. Decoration note: Full-page miniatures, fols. 13v, 33v, 38r, 41v, and 45r

fols. 48r - 50v:

1. Title: Mass of the Virgin
2. Rubric: Hie begint onser lieuer vrouwen mis.
3. Incipit: Wees gegruet ioncwinnende magedyn
4. Decoration note: Historiated initial, fol. 48r

fols. 50v - 51r:

1. Title: Gospel lessons
2. Rubric: Dit is die evangelium.
3. Incipit: In der tijt dat (dat is crossed out) als ihesus

fols. 51r - 53r:

1. Title: The Creed
2. Rubric: Hier beginne die Credo van der missen in duysche credo in deum.
3. Incipit: Ic geloue in enen got uader almechtich

fols. 53v - 65v:

1. Title: Hours of the Virgin: Vespers and Compline
2. Author: Suso, Henry, 1295-1366
3. Decoration note: Full-page miniatures, fols. 53v and 60v

fols. 66r - 77v:

1. Title: Short Hours of the Cross
2. Author: Suso, Henry, 1295-1366
3. Incipit: Des vaders wijsheit die gotlike
4. Decoration note: Full-page miniatures, fols. 66r, 67v, 69r, 70v, 72r, 73v, 75r, and 76v

fols. 78r - 96r:

1. Title: Penitential Psalms and litany
2. Incipit: Here in dynne uerbogentheit
3. Decoration note: Full-page miniature, fol. 78r; small historiated initials, fols. 84r and 86v

fols. 96v - 99r:

1. Title: Prayer to St. Catherine
2. Incipit: O vry edele coningine Maget
3. Decoration note: Full-page miniature, fol. 96v

fols. 99v - 101r:

1. Title: Prayer to St. Barbara
2. Incipit: Barbara reyne suuer beelde lof
3. Decoration note: Full-page miniature, fol. 99v

fols. 101v - 102v:

1. Title: Prayers to St. Margaret
2. Incipit: Heilige santine margriete
3. Decoration note: Full-page miniature, fol. 101v

fols. 102v - 103r:

1. Title: Prayers to St. Christopher and St. George
2. Incipit: Sunte cristofel heilich sant
3. Decoration note: Full-page miniature, fol. 102v

fols. 103v - 129r:

1. Title: Book of Eternal Wisdom
2. Author: Suso, Henry, 1295-1366
3. Rubric: Hier beghinnet die ewige wijsheit in duytsche.
4. Incipit: Mine siecle heuet di begeert inder nacht
5. Decoration note: Large decorated initial, fol. 103v

fol. 1r:

1. 
2. Title: Medallions with SS. Andrew, Paul, and Anthony
3. Form: Marginal medallions, 4 lines
4. Text: Calendar: January

fol. 2r:

1. 
2. Title: Medallions with SS. Anthony and James the Great
3. Form: Marginal medallions, 4 lines
4. Text: Calendar: February

fol. 3r:

1. 
2. Title: Medallions with SS. Anthony, James the Great, Bartholomew, and Andrew
3. Form: Marginal medallions, 4 lines
4. Text: Calendar: March

fol. 4r:

1. 
2. Title: Medallions with unidentified saints
3. Form: Marginal medallions, 4 lines
4. Text: Calendar: April

fol. 5r:

1. 
2. Title: Medallions with SS. Anthony, Paul, Peter, and John the Evangelist
3. Form: Marginal medallions, 4 lines
4. Text: Calendar: May

fol. 6r:

1. 
2. Title: Medallions with Christ and SS. Peter, John the Evangelist, Anthony, and Bartholomew
3. Form: Marginal medallions, 4 lines
4. Text: Calendar: June

fol. 7r:

1. 
2. Title: Medallions with SS. James the Great, Anthony, and Paul
3. Form: Marginal medallions, 4 lines
4. Text: Calendar: July

fol. 8r:

1. 
2. Title: Medallions with SS. Anthony, James the Great, and Bartholomew
3. Form: Marginal medallions, 4 lines
4. Text: Calendar: August

fol. 9r:

1. 
2. Title: Medallions with SS. Paul, Anthony, and Andrew
3. Form: Marginal medallions, 4 lines
4. Text: Calendar: September

fol. 10r:

1. 
2. Title: Medallions with SS. James the Great, Lawrence, Bartholomew, and Stephen
3. Form: Marginal medallions, 4 lines
4. Text: Calendar: October

fol. 11r:

1. 
2. Title: Medallions with SS. Catherine of Alexandria, Agnes, Dorothea, and Barbara
3. Form: Marginal medallions, 4 lines
4. Text: Calendar: November

fol. 12r:

1. 
2. Title: Medallions with SS. Anthony, James the Great, and Bartholomew
3. Form: Marginal medallions, 4 lines
4. Text: Calendar: December

fol. 13v:

1. 
2. Title: The Annunciation, with angels playing music
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Matins
5. Comment:

   The inscription on the scroll held by Gabriel reads "Ave gratia plena," or "Hail, full of grace."

fol. 33v:

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

fol. 38r:

1. 
2. Title: The Annunciation to the shepherds, with angels
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Terce

fol. 41v:

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

fol. 45r:

1. 
2. Title: The Massacre of the Innocents
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: None

fol. 48r:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "V" with Virgin and Child of the Apocalypse
3. Form: Historiated initial "V," 7 lines
4. Text: Mass of the Virgin

fol. 53v:

1. 
2. Title: The Circumcision of Christ, with angels
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Vespers

fol. 58r:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "C" with the Virgin and Child
3. Form: Historiated initial "C," 3 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Compline

fol. 60v:

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

fol. 66r:

1. 
2. Title: The Betrayal of Christ, with soldiers
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Short Hours of the Cross

fol. 67v:

1. 
2. Title: Christ before Pilate, with the fable of the fox and the rooster, and apes
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Short Hours of the Cross

fol. 69r:

1. 
2. Title: The Flagellation of Christ
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Short Hours of the Cross

fol. 70v:

1. 
2. Title: The Mocking of Christ
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Short Hours of the Cross

fol. 72r:

1. 
2. Title: Christ Carrying the Cross
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Short Hours of the Cross

fol. 73v:

1. 
2. Title: The Crucifixion, with angels
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Short Hours of the Cross

fol. 75r:

1. 
2. Title: The Deposition
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Short Hours of the Cross

fol. 76v:

1. 
2. Title: The Entombment, with angels
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Short Hours of the Cross

fol. 78r:

1. 
2. Title: David rising from the Earth
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Penitential Psalms

fol. 84r:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "H" with Virgin and Child
3. Form: Historiated initial "H," 5 lines
4. Text: Penitential Psalms

fol. 86v:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "O" with Christ
3. Form: Historiated initial "O," 3 lines
4. Text: Penitential Psalms

fol. 96v:

1. 
2. Title: St. Catherine of Alexandria, with soldiers
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Prayer to St. Catherine

fol. 99v:

1. 
2. Title: St. Barbara
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Prayer to St. Barbara

fol. 101v:

1. 
2. Title: St. Margaret, with dragons
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Prayers to St. Margaret

fol. 102v:

1. 
2. Title: St. Christopher carrying Christ across the water
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Prayer to St. Christopher

fol. 103v:

1. 
2. Title: Decorated initial "M"
3. Form: Decorated initial "M," 9 lines
4. Text: Book of Eternal Wisdom

The binding is not original.

Eighteenth-century green morocco over pulp- or paste-board; gilt tooled floral motif

Created in the Netherlands, fifteenth century; calendar for Use of Utrecht

Reynold Gideon Bowyer (1785-1826), student at Goettingen and priest at Durham

William, Baron Amherst, before 1908 (armorial bookplate with motto "Victoria concordia crescit" on inside of upper board); no. 462 in Amherst sale in London, December 3, 1908, sold to Stanhope (?)

Lady William Cecil sale, London, December 12, 1911, no. 57, sold to Bishop (?)

Bishop (?), bought from Cecil sale 1911; Lilian Randall suggested it may be his bookplate (sideways "B" with snake inn form of "S") on inside of upper board, with penciled no. 14

Sotheby sale, London, January 17, 1921, no. 580, sold to Herzberger

Henry Walters, Baltimore, acquired through Paul Gruel (?) in Paris, 1925

Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters' bequest

Gorissen, Friedrich. Das Stundenbuch der Katharina von Kleve: Analyse und Kommentar. Berlin, 1973, pp. 83, 605, and 963.

De Vreese, W. "Een noordnederlandsch handschrift met 'verlichteriên' uit het midden van de vijftiende eeuw," in Het Boek 11 (1922), pp. 33-62, 161-182, pl. I-III, V-VII.

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. 793, cat. no. 229.

Miner, Dorothy. "Dutch Illuminated Manuscripts in the Walters Art Gallery," The Connoisseur Year Book, 1955.

Byvanck, A.W., and G.J. Hoogewerff. La miniature hollandaise. The Hague, 1926, p. 21, cat. no. 40, pl. IX, figs. 38 and 39 (fols. 67v-68r and 77v-78r).

Principal cataloger: Marrow, James

Catalogers: Dutschke, Consuelo; Herbert, Lynley; Valle, Chiara

Editor: Herbert, Lynley

Copy editor: Dibble, Charles

Conservators: Owen, Linda; Quandt, Abigail

Contributors: Bockrath, Diane; Boot, Christine; Emery, Doug; Noel, William; Tabritha, Ariel; Toth, Michael B.

The Walters Art Museum

Licensed for use under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Access Rights, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-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.