Walters Ms. W.193, Book of Hours

W.193

Book of Hours

Book of Hours

Completed for use of Cambrai, ca. 1450-60, this sizable Book of Hours is comprised of 265 folios, with two full-page miniatures (inserted) and thirteen historiated initials. Perhaps the focus on prayer rather than decoration was due to the presumed first owner, who was established in Mons and was associated with a Benedictine nunnery (dedicated to Sainte Waudry). Some Franciscan sympathies are indicated in the litany (fol. 147v), evinced by a citation of Bernardinus of Siena, Francis, and Clara.

Ca. 1450-60 CE

Hainaut

Book

Devotional

The primary language in this manuscript is Latin. The secondary language of this manuscript is French, Middle (ca.1400-1600).

Parchment

Parchment carefully selected and highly prepared; spine vertical; prickings visible along edge of outer and upper margins and at head

Foliation: 265+bis

Fol. 92bis accounts for noted bis in formula; modern pencil foliation upper right corners rectos

Formula: Quire 1: 4, first folio is pastedown, with fourth folio cancelled (fols. 1-2), Quire 2: 8 (fols. 3-10), Quire 3: 6 (fols. 11-16), Quire 4: 8, with first folio added (fols. 17-25), Quires 5-8: 8 (fols. 26-57), Quire 9: 8, with seventh folio added (fols. 58-66), Quires 10-17: 8 (fols. 67-129), Quire 18: 4 (fols. 130-133), Quires 19-27: 8 (fols. 134-205), Quire 28: 2 (fols. 206-207), Quire 29: 8 (fols. 208-215), Quire 30: 2 (fols. 216-217), Quires 31-35: 8 (fols. 218-257), Quire 36: 8, with ninth folio added as pastedown (fols. 258-265)

Comments: Full-page miniatures are inserted

14.3 cm wide by 20.5 cm high

6.8 cm wide by 10.1 cm high

1. Columns: 1
2. Ruled lines: 14
3. Layout does not apply to calendar: written surface 11.2 x 6.9 cm, 3 columns, 16 lines

fols. 1r - 265v:

1. Title: Book of Hours
2. Text note: Most headings and secondary divisions in French
3. Hand note: Littera batarda
4. Decoration note: Two full-page miniatures (inserted); thirteen historiated initials (3-6 lines), all but two liturgical divisions open with small historiated initials, executed in a style often associated Mons; borders are gold burnished on dark grey or black bole, the abundant use of purple for acanthus, flowers, and berries is a major element of note; full-page miniatures include borders on all four sides of fine quality, margins filled, smaller decorated initials for "K L" in calendar and for secondary divisions (2 lines); small decorated initials for versals (1 line); geometric line-fillers in litany; rubrics in red, text in dark brown ink; these miniatures are renderings of significant Passion and Infancy episodes are early examples of the combined impact of monumental painting and masterpieces of illumination created in both the North and South Netherlands

fols. 4r - 15v:

1. Title: Calendar
2. Rubric: Janvier.
3. Contents: Calendar in French, less than half-full; graded in red and dark brown; also in dark brown ink: regular feasts, capitals stroked in a pale yellow wash, dominical letters "B" to "G"; contents indicate Mons (diocese of Cambrai); feasts of note include: Aldegund (Jan. 30), Veronus (Jan. 31, Invention, Cambrai; transfer of relics to St. Waudru at Mons, 1005; feast Mar. 30), Waldertrudis (Feb. 3, Mons; cf. Apr. 9, Aug. 12, Sept. 2), Lietphard (Feb. 4, "laffart," Cambrai) Julianus (Feb. 11, rare date, also in W. 195), Desideratus ( Feb. 12, "desir"), Juliana (Feb, 16), Crown of Thorns (Feb. 19, "Sainte couronne"), Aldetrudis (Feb. 25, Cambrai), Adrian (Mar. 4), Patricius (Mar. 10, "patris"), Veronus (Mar. 30; see Jan. 31), Acharius (Apr. 6, "acaire"), Death of St. Waldetrudis (Apr. 6, "Le trespas s[ain]te Wald[rude]," Mons; cf. Feb. 3, Aug. 12, Sept. 2), Constantine (Apr. 12), Landericus (Apr. 17, "landry"), Ursmar (Apr. 18, "ursmer," Cambrai), Peter martyr (Apr. 30, termed "pierre iacopin," rare; cf. "Piere le iacopin" in W. 88), Victor (May 7; cf. Jul. 7), Adalbert (May 20, "audeber;" perhaps reference to Hainaut count, regularly Apr. 22, cf. W. 88), Helen matron (May 21, "elaine"), Germanus (May 27, bishop of Paris, regularly May 28), Petronilla (May 31, "Pieronne"), Florentius (Jun. 20), Victor (Jul. 7, cf. May 7), Amalberga (Jul. 10, mother of St. Ablebert [or Emembert], bishop of Cambrai), Vincent (Jul. 14, Cambrai and Tournai), Transfiguration (Jul. 27), Germanus (Aug. 8, rare; as in Princeton, UL, Scheide 20 and W. 272), Gaugeric (Aug. 11, "grey," bishop of Cambrai), Waldetrudis (Aug. 12, Translations, Mons), Madalberta, (Sept. 7, daughter of Sts. Vincent and Waldetrudis, niece of St. Aldegund, founder and abbess of Notre Dame and St. Aldegonde at Mauberuge, diocese of Cambrai; also in litany, Jan. 6), Remigius (Oct. 1), Francis (Oct. 4), Dionysius and Ghislain (Oct. 9), Pelagia (Oct. 12 [regularly Oct. 1], as in BBR IV 1113, Horae, Ste. Gertrude, Nivelles, Guillebert de Mets group), Anastasius (Oct. 13), Donatian (Oct. 15, "donatijen," regularly Oct. 14; rare on this date, same in W. 263, spelled "donaes"), Gobert (Oct. 24, irregular date), Vincent (Oct. 29, Mons, same in Princeton, UL, Scheide 20 and W.272), Waldetrudis, All Souls (Nov. 2, "S[ain]te Wald[rude]. Les ames;" cf. Feb. 3, Apr. 9, Aug. 12, Mons), Livin (Nov. 12), Elizabeth of Portugal (Nov. 19, 'ysabel," queen; irregular date, parallels include W.88, W.164, W.719), Nocasius (Dec. 14); fols. 16r-v: blank, ruled

fols. 17v - 28v:

1. Title: Hours of the Cross
2. Incipit: Domine labia mea
3. Decoration note: Fol. 17v: full-page miniature; fol. 18r: large illuminated decorated initial (5 lines)

fols. 29r - 37r:

1. Title: Hours of the Holy Spirit
2. Rubric: Sensieuent heures du saint espirit
3. Incipit: Domine labia mea
4. Decoration note: Fol. 29r: historiated initial (5 lines)

fols. 37v - 57r:

1. Title: Devotional Sequence
2. Incipit: Pater noster qui es
3. Contents: Fols. 37v-40r: Lord's prayer, Credo, confessional prayer for female suppliant, prayer of absolution, invocations to Virgin; fols. 40r-46r: Four Gospel Sequences (John 1:1-14, Luke 1: 26-38, Matthew 2: 1-12, Mark 16: 14-20); fols. 46r-49r: Prayer on Seven Last Words of Christ; fols. 29r-50v: Hymn, appended prayer; fols. 50v-52r: Eight Verses of St. Bernard, appended prayer for female suppliant; fols. 52r-55r: Hymn to the Virgin, short appended prayer, rhyming prayer lamenting sorrow of Virgin by the Cross; fols. 55r-57r: Suffrage to St. Catherine; fols. 57r-58r: Suffrage to All Saints; fols. 58r-63r: Communion prayer to the Sacrament, Athanasian Creed, prayer to God; fol. 68v: blank, ruled
4. Decoration note: Fol. 37v: historiated initial (4 lines)

fols. 64r - 133v:

1. Title: Hours of the Virgin
2. Incipit: Domine labia mea aperies
3. Contents: Hours of the Virgin, for use of Cambrai, written consecutively; invocation to All Saints at end of canonical hours from Lauds on; headings in French at canonical hours beginning with "laudes"
4. Decoration note: Fol. 64v: full-page miniature; fols. 90v, 102r, 112v, 116v, 120v 128r: historiated initial (5 lines); fol. 108r: historiated initial (6 lines)

fols. 134r - 147v:

1. Title: Seven Penitential Psalms
2. Incipit: Domine ne in furore
3. Decoration note: Fol. 134r: historiated initial (5 lines)

fols. 147v - 154r:

1. Title: Litany, petitions, prayers, and collects
2. Rubric: Letanie des Sains
3. Incipit: Dilexi quoniam exaudiet
4. Contents: Fols. 147v-154r: litany; fols. 147v, last line: Franciscan sympathy and terminus post quem of 1450 indicated by citation of Bernardinus of Siena, Francis, Clare; general contents indicate destination for Hainaut; sixteen apostles/evangelists/innocents: Peter to Luke; nineteen martyrs, of note: Quintinus, Lambert, Sebastian, Adrian, George, Cosmas, Damian, Dionysius, Nicasius; twenty confessors, of note including: Germanus, Eligius, Aegydius, Medard, Anthony, Vincent, Veronus, Maurus, Ghislain, Remigius, Francis, Bernardinus of Siena; twenty-five virgins/widows/"continentes," of note including: Mary Magdalene, Mary Egyptian, Felicitas, Perpetua, Agnes, Lucy, Margaret, Catherine, Barbara, Agatha, Christina, Martha, Apollonia, Anne, Waldetrudis, Aldegund, Gertrude, Aldetrudis, "Madelberta," Elizabeth, Clare, Sophia, Fides, Spes, Caritas; fols. 152r-153v: petitions, invocations (written consecutively), cue to Psalm 69; fols. 153v-154r: two collects; fol. 154v: blank, ruled

fols. 155r - 207v:

1. Title: Office of the Dead
2. Incipit: Dilexi quoniam exaudiet
3. Contents: Fols. 193r-206v: sequence of Psalms, antiphons, prayers; fols. 206v-207v: collects for man, for woman, for parents, for all persons
4. Decoration note: Fol. 155r: historiated initial (5 lines)

fols. 208r - 217v:

1. Title: Prayer to the Virgin
2. Rubric: Oroison a la vierge
3. Incipit: Missus est gabriel angelus
4. Contents: Fol. 217v: blank, ruled
5. Decoration note: Fol. 208r: historiated initial (3 lines)

fols. 218r - 264v:

1. Title: Hours of the Passion
2. Incipit: Domine labia mea aperies
3. Contents: Hours of the Passion (Long Hours of the Cross), each canonical hour includes invitations, canticles, hymns, antiphons, capitularies, responsories, versicles; fols. 263v-264r: closing prayer to Christ; fol. 264v: blank, ruled
4. Decoration note: Fol. 218r: historiated initial (6 lines)

fol. 17v:

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

fol. 29r:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "D" with Pentecost
3. Form: Historiated initial "D," 5 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Holy Spirit

fol. 37v:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "P" with Agony in the Garden
3. Form: Historiated initial "P," 4 lines
4. Text: Devotional Sequence: Pater noster

fol. 64v:

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

fol. 90v:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "D" with Visitation
3. Form: Historiated initial "D," 5 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Lauds

fol. 102r:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "D" with Nativity-Adoration
3. Form: Historiated initial "D," 5 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Prime

fol. 108r:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "D" with Annunciation to Shepherds
3. Form: Historiated initial "D," 6 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Terce

fol. 112v:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "D" with Adoration of Magi
3. Form: Historiated initial "D," 5 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Sext

fol. 116v:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "D" with Presentation in Temple
3. Form: Historiated initial "D," 5 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: None

fol. 120v:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "D" with Flight into Egypt
3. Form: Historiated initial "D," 5 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Vespers

fol. 128r:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "C" with Massacre of the Innocents
3. Form: Historiated initial "C," 5 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Compline

fol. 134r:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "D" with Last Judgment
3. Form: Historiated initial "D," 5 lines
4. Text: Seven Penitential Psalms

fol. 155r:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "D" with Raising of Lazarus
3. Form: Historiated initial "D," 5 lines
4. Text: Office of the Dead

fol. 208r:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "M" with Annunciation
3. Form: Historiated initial "M," 3 lines
4. Text: Prayer to the Virgin: "Missus est angelus"

fol. 218r:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "D" with Crucifixion
3. Form: Historiated initial "D," 6 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Passion

The binding is original.

Bound in Belgium, most likely contemporary; brown leather over oak boards, wide shallow exterior bevels; original sewing present on single tawed straps; panels with four vertical bands framed by quadruple fillets, some bands with walking deer and foliage-wrapped poles; outer bands feature square panels tooled with fleur-de-lis in barbed quatrefoil; spine has been rebacked with no liner overlays under pastedowns; gilt edges, painted with flowers of red and white on green stems, probably dating sixteenth/seventeenth century; evidence of side-pin and strap fastenings can be found on upper and lower covers; modern leather repairs present at anchorage points of straps and surrounding area

Created ca. 1450-60 for use in diocese of Cambrai, probably Mons; comparable to North and South Netherlandish illumination workmanship

First owner, female (suggested by the presence of two prayers for a female suppliant in devotional sequence, fols. 37v-63v), Mons; fol. 147v: Franciscan sympathy indicated by citation of Bernardinus of Siena, Francis, Clare

Petrus Philippus Jarinart, fifteenth century, his name signed after inscription in ink on back endleaf: "A moy premier commenchement"

Gerardus Casteillon, his name inscribed twice on fore-edge

London, Sotheby's, May 23, 1889, lot 78, sold to Seymour for £65

Jacques Rosenthal, Munich bookseller, a notation written in pencil on front pastedown

Henry Walters, Baltimore, purchased between 1902 and 1931

Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters' bequest

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, 1989; pp. 234-240, cat. no. 247; figs. 475, 476, 589, pl. XXXIVa

Avril, François. "Jean le Tavernier: Un nouveau livre d’heures." Revue de l’Art 126 (1999): 9-22; p. 20 (n. 7).

Principal cataloger: Randall, Lilian M.C.

Cataloger: Herbold, Rebekah

Editor: Herbert, Lynley

Copy editor: Dibble, Charles

Conservators: Owen, Linda; Quandt, Abigail

Contributors: Brown, Emily; Emery, Doug; Noel, William; Shartrand, Emily; Tabritha, Ariel; 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.