Walters Ms. W.267, Book of Hours

W.267

Book of Hours

Book of Hours

This Book of Hours was created in Hainaut, France, ca. 1450-60. The first owner was likely female, as a female donor is depicted on fol. 13v. Perhaps among the most noteworthy components of the book is the heraldry present throughout. Armorial shields were added early and identified by Michel Pastoureau as arms of a member of the Buves family of Picardy. There are two heraldic coats of arms: the first is of two gold lions, the second remains unidentified. While the armorial shields are sometimes present as stand-alone images, the two are often juxtaposed below prayers, such as Matins in the Hours of the Virgin, Compline in the Hours of the Virgin, and the Office of the Dead.

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

Medium to thick, highly prepared parchment of average selection; substantial amount of water damage on lower margins, especially at the front of the volume; front endleaves and back endleaves are modern parchment

Foliation: iii+188+bis+iii

Fol. 2bis accounts for noted bis in formula; modern pencil foliation upper right corners rectos

Formula: Quire 1: 8, with first folio canceled, and including fol. 2bis (fols. 1-6); Quire 2: 6 (fols. 7-12); Quire 3: 8, with first folio added (fols. 13-21); Quires 4-17: 8 (fols. 22-133); Quire 18: 8, with first folio added (fols. 134-142); Quires 19-22: 8 (fols. 143-174); Quire 23: 8 (fols. 175-182); Quire 24: 8, with the 7th and 8th folios canceled (fols. 185-188)

Comments:

14.2 cm wide by 21.1 cm high

7.3 cm wide by 12.1 cm high

1. Columns: 1
2. Ruled lines: 17
3. Layout does not apply to calendar: 5 columns of 17 lines; ruled in light mauve ink

fols. 1r - 188v:

1. Title: Book of Hours
2. Hand note: Written in textura
3. Decoration note: Twenty-one miniatures: two full-page miniatures, inserted, and nineteen small miniatures; illuminated borders present around full-page miniatures on pages facing full-page miniatures, at two openings with smallest historiated initials (fols. 37v, 208r), and on pages with initials of 2 lines; planned with abundant use of purple for flowers, berries, and acanthus; a general plan of thin-stemmed acanthus, floral or berry spray at base and fore-edge; borders inhabited periodically by animate motifs, mostly songbirds or peacocks; decorated illuminated initials in rose-mauve or blue on gold ground at text divisions marked by small miniatures; extenders end in flowers or leaves; secondary text divisions marked by small decorated gold initials (2 lines) and smaller initials (1 line) for versals; rubrics in red ink; text in dark brown ink

fols. 1v - 12r:

1. Title: Calendar
2. Contents: Full calendar; graded in red and dark brown; contents indicate destination of Mons (diocese of Cambrai); feasts of note include: Epiphany (Jan. 6, "Le iour des Rois"), William (Jan. 9, bishop of Bourges, on this date in Lyons, elsewhere regularly Jan. 10), Maurus (Jan. 15), Brictius (Jan. 18), Holy relics (Jan. 29 cf. Jan. 31), Aldegund (Jan. 30), Veronus (Jan. 31, Invention, relics transferred to St. Waudru in Mons in 1005 CE; cf. Jan. 29), Waldetrudis (Feb. 3, patroness of Mons, relics at St. Waudru, Mons; cf. Apr. 9), Blasius (Feb. 4), Helen matron (Feb. 7, on this date in Rheims archdiocese; cf. May 21), Ansbert (Feb. 9, Rouen), Victor (Feb. 20, martyr, rare date), Polycarp (Feb. 21), Bavo (Feb. 23, regularly Oct. 1; this date as in W.277), Julianus (Feb. 27), Lubin (Mar. 13, regularly Mar. 14; on this date as in Paris Horae, such as W.231 and W.232), Hubert (Mar. 15), Montanus (Mar. 26), Romanus (Mar. 30, rare date), Macarius (Apr. 6, regularly Apr. 10), Dionysius (Apr. 8, Mans, Paris), Waldetrudis (Apr. 9, death, Mons; cf. Feb. 3, Jul. 14, Nov. 2), Maxima (May 16), Mark (Apr. 25), Potentiana (May 20), Helen matron (May 21, "elaine;" cf. Feb. 7), Donatian (May 26), martyr, regularly May 24), Germanus (May 28, Paris), Theoderic (May 29, "thieri"; irregular date), Petronilla (May 31), Romanus (Jun. 1; cf. Jun. 17), Modestus (Apr. 16), Romanus (Jun. 17; cf. Jun. 1), Marina (Jun. 18, Paris), Processus (Jul. 3), Daniel (Jul. 8), Benedict (Jul. 10, Translation), Vincent (Jul. 14, "uinchiien"; named Madelgar and married to Waldetrudis before becoming a Benedictine monk, founder of the Abbey of Hautmont in diocese of Cambrai and of the monastery of Soignies near Mons in the same diocese), Praxedis (Jul. 19, regularly Jul. 21), Agapitus (Aug. 17), Bartholomew (Aug. 24), Protus (Sept. 10, "prothin"; occasional parallels on this date, W.220), Aichard (Sept. 15, "akaire"), Cyprian (Sept. 24), Donatus (Sept. 28, atypical date), Remigius (Oct. 1), Dionysius, Ghislain (Oct. 9, "denis gisl," the latter was spiritual adviser to SS Waldetrudis and Aldegund), Mellonius (Oct. 22, Rouen), Gratianus (Oct. 23, "gracien," Amiens, Soissons, etc.), All Souls, Waldetrudis (Nov. 2, "Les ames S'te Wad. [Waudru]," Mons), Columban (Nov. 20), Geneviève (Nov. 26, Paris), Benedict (Jul. 5, Translation: Bourges, Dec. 4), Nicasius (Dec. 14), Felix (Dec. 22, Metz), Perpetuus (Dec. 30, bishop of Tours, death date)

fols. 12v - 13r:

1. Title: Suffrage to a guardian angel
2. Rubric: Orison a bon angele Antiphona
3. Incipit: Angele sancte qui michi
4. Contents: Rare suffrage to a guardian angel for a female suppliant

fols. 13v - 85v:

1. Title: Hours of the Virgin
2. Incipit: Ave maria gratia plena
3. Contents: Gabriel's salutation to the Virgin Mary on fol. 13v; Hours of the Virgin begins on fol. 14r; common features were noted by John Plummer in a Psalter-Hours for a nunnery, perhaps St. Leonard de Guines, diocese of Thérouanne (BN lat. 1073a); intermittent invocations for female gender, some for the use of Rome
4. Decoration note: Nine small miniatures with corresponding decorated initials on fols. 13v, 14r, 38r, 49r, 59v, 64r, 68v, 73r, and 80v; coat of arms on fol. 85v

fols. 86r - 133v:

1. Title: Office of the Dead
2. Rubric: Antiphona
3. Incipit: Placebo. Dilexi quoniam
4. Decoration note: One small miniature and decorated initial on fol. 86r

fols. 134r - 146v:

1. Title: Seven Penitential Psalms
2. Incipit: Domine ne in furore tuo
3. Decoration note: One full-page coat of arms on fol. 134r; one full-page miniature on fol. 134v; large decorated illuminated initial with foliated borders on fol. 135r

fols. 146v - 159r:

1. Title: Litany, petitions, prayers, and collects
2. Incipit: Kyrieleyson
3. Contents: Fols. 146v-154r: contents of litany suggest destination for Cambrai diocese, majority of saints are female: sixteen apostles/"evuangeliste," from Peter to Luke, eighteen martyrs, including Stephen, Cornelius, Cyprian, Cosmos, Damian, Lawrence, Vincent, Christopher, George, Quintinus, Sebastian, Dionysius "cum sociis tuis," Gereon "cum sociis tuis," Lambert (bishop of Maestricht); thirteen confessors, namely Silvester, Leo, Ambrose, Augustine, Lambert, Martin, Nicholas, Francis, Hubert, Ghislain, Remigius, Germanus, Vincent; twenty-four virgins, namely Mary Magdalene ("Ora pro nobis"), Mary Egyptian, Perpetua, Lucy, Agatha, Agnes, Catherine, Margaret, Anastasia, Juliana, Barbara, Christina, Anne, Apollonia, Brigid, Thecla, Clare, Fides, Spes, Caritas, Elizabeth, Gertrude, Waldetrudis, Adelgundis; fols. 149v-153r: petitions and invocations; fols. 153r-154r: three collects; fols. 154r-159v: nine communion prayers; fols. 157v-159r: Psalm 116, cues for invocations and the Lord's Prayer, and benedictions

fols. 159v - 169v:

1. Title: Hours of the Cross
2. Incipit: Domine labia mea aperies
3. Contents: Headings for canonical hours are in French, secondary headings in Latin
4. Decoration note: One small miniature and decorated initial on fol. 159v

fols. 170r - 177r:

1. Title: Hours of the Holy Spirit
2. Incipit: Domine labia mea aperies
3. Decoration note: One small miniature and decorated initial on fol. 170r

fols. 177v - 183r:

1. Title: Devotional sequence and suffrages
2. Incipit: Sancte iohannes baptista
3. Contents: Fols. 177v-178r: Prayer to St. John the Baptist; fols. 178v-179r: Prayer to St. John the Evangelist; fols. 179v-180r: Suffrage to St. Sebastian; fols. 180v-181r: Suffrage to St. Anthony; fols. 181v-182r: Suffrage to St. Barbara, rhyming; fols. 182v-183r: Suffrage to St. Margaret
4. Decoration note: Six small miniatures on fols. 177v, 178v, 179v, 180v, 181v, and 182v; coat of arms on fol. 178r

fols. 183v - 188v:

1. Title: Prayer to the Virgin, and prayer to Christ on the Cross
2. Incipit: O intemerata et in aeternum benedicta
3. Contents: Both prayers for a female suppliant
4. Decoration note: One full-page miniature on fol. 183v; miniature of Last Judgment's placement suggests a lost text between fols. 183 and 184; one small miniature and decorated initial on fol. 184r

fol. 13v:

1. 
2. Title: Archangel Gabriel genuflecting, right hand on shoulder of female manuscript owner kneeling at prie-dieu
3. Form: Small miniature, 13 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Matins

fol. 14r:

1. 
2. Title: Virgin Annunciate
3. Form: Small miniature, 13 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Matins

fol. 37v:

1. 
2. Title: Coat of arms
3. Form: Heraldry, 12 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Lauds

fol. 38r:

1. 
2. Title: Visitation
3. Form: Small miniature, 13 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Lauds

fol. 49v:

1. 
2. Title: Nativity, preparation for the Christ Child's birth
3. Form: Small miniature, 13 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Prime

fol. 59v:

1. 
2. Title: Annunciation to the Shepherds
3. Form: Small miniature, 13 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Terce

fol. 64r:

1. 
2. Title: Adoration of the Magi
3. Form: Small miniature, 13 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Sext

fol. 68v:

1. 
2. Title: Massacre of the Innocents (2)
3. Form: Small miniature, 13 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: None

fol. 73r:

1. 
2. Title: The Flight into Egypt
3. Form: Small miniature, 13 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Vespers

fol. 80v:

1. 
2. Title: Coronation of the Virgin
3. Form: Small miniature, 13 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Compline

fol. 85v:

1. 
2. Title: Coat of arms
3. Form: Heraldry, 7 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Compline

fol. 86r:

1. 
2. Title: Funeral service
3. Form: Small miniature, 13 lines
4. Text: Office of the Dead

fol. 134r:

1. 
2. Title: Coat of arms
3. Form: Full-page heraldry
4. Text: Penitential Psalms

fol. 134v:

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

fol. 159v:

1. 
2. Title: Crucifixion
3. Form: Small miniature, 13 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Cross

fol. 169v:

1. 
2. Title: Coat of arms
3. Form: Heraldry, 11 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Cross

fol. 170r:

1. 
2. Title: Pentecost
3. Form: Small miniature, 13 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Holy Spirit

fol. 177v:

1. 
2. Title: St. John the Baptist baptizing Christ
3. Form: Small miniature, 13 lines
4. Text: Devotional Sequence: Prayer

fol. 178r:

1. 
2. Title: Coat of arms
3. Form: Heraldry, 7 lines
4. Text: Devotional sequence and suffrages

fol. 178v:

1. 
2. Title: St. John the Evangelist
3. Form: Small miniature, 13 lines
4. Text: Devotional Sequence: Prayer

fol. 179v:

1. 
2. Title: St. Sebastian, martyred
3. Form: Small miniature, 13 lines
4. Text: Devotional sequence and suffrages: Suffrage

fol. 180v:

1. 
2. Title: St. Anthony
3. Form: Small miniature, 13 lines
4. Text: Devotional sequence and suffrages: Suffrage

fol. 181v:

1. 
2. Title: St. Barbara
3. Form: Small miniature, 13 lines
4. Text: Devotional sequence and suffrages: Suffrage

fol. 182v:

1. 
2. Title: St. Margaret issuing from the dragon
3. Form: Small miniature, 13 lines
4. Text: Devotional sequence and suffrages: Suffrage

fol. 183v:

1. 
2. Title: Last Judgment
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Prefacing a lost text

fol. 184r:

1. 
2. Title: Virgin and Child with angel presenting a white flower
3. Form: Small miniature, 13 lines
4. Text: Prayer to the Virgin: "O intermerata"

The binding is not original.

Nineteenth-century Belgian (?) binding; pale maroon velvet (worn) over wooden boards; spine rounded and backed; gilt edges; seventeenth- or eighteenth-century silver clasps and catches, possibly transferred from original binding; "R F" hallmark appearing on all four plates; "Die werke Rinjes" engraved on the inside of clasps (on top, in neat cursive); surfaces of both catches can be seen inside covers stamped with the circular hallmark of "H R" surmounted by a four-petal floret that resembles the mark of Hendrik Beerns Ronner, who was active in Dokkum, Friesland, ca. 1738-52

Created ca. 1450-60 in Hainaut; style, linked with that of northern France and Mons, suggests the manuscript was intended for use in the diocese of Cambrai

Female first owner is depicted on fol. 13v; it is possible that there is a reference to the original owner in the small coats of arms of d'or au chevron d'azur that are on the pall and candlesticks in the miniature on fol. 86r

Owned by a member of the Buves family of Picardy, suggested by a coat of arms on fol. 37v, identified by Michel Pastoureau

Fragment of a nineteenth-century book catalog in file lists manuscript as no. 1161 and marks it "sold"; listing for book labeled 1889 on other side of fragment provides terminus post quem for sale, suggesting auction took place between 1889 and 1891

Brayton Ives, New York City, no. 625 in his sale on March 6, 1891, at American Art Galleries; sale number written in pencil on front pastedown

Marshall C. Lefferts, New York City, gold and white monogram on leather ticket fixed to the top left on the front pastedown

H. Richmond, New York bookseller, 1901

Henry Walters, Baltimore, likely purchased from Richmond between 1901 and 1931

Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters' bequest

De Ricci, Seymour, and William J. Wilson. 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. 228.

Wieck, Roger S. Time Sanctified: The Book of Hours in Medieval Art and Life. Exhibition catalogue. Baltimore: Walters Art Gallery. NY: George Braiziller, 1988; cat. no. 40, figs. 12, 89, 114.

Purtle, C. J. The Iconography of Prayer, Jean de Berry, and the Origin of the Annunciation in the Church. Simiolus 20/4 (1990/91): figure 15, fols. 13v-14r, p. 239.

Randall, Lilian M. C. Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the Walters Art Gallery. Vol. 3, part 2, Belgium, 1250-1530. Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins University Press in association with the Walters Art Gallery, 1997; pp. 66, 143, cat. no. 112, 129.

Sponsler, Claire. Drama and Resistance: Bodies, Goods, and Theatricality in Late Medieval England. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 1997; p. 191 (n. 50).

Wieck, Roger S. “The Death Desired: Books of Hours and the Medieval Funeral.” In Death and Dying in the Middle Ages. Edited by Edelgard E. DuBruck and Barbara I. Gusick, 431-476. New York: Peter Lang, 1999; pp. 437 (as fig. 17), 439 (as fig. 17), 447 (n. 17), 465 (fig. 17).

Havice, Christine. “Approaching Medieval Women Through Medieval Art.” In Women in Medieval Western European Culture. Edited by Linda E. Mitchell, 345-386. Oxford: Taylor and Francis Publishing, 1999; pp. 356 (as fig. 4), 373, 377 (fig. 4).

Noel, William. "Books in the Home: Psalters and Books of Hours." In Medieval Mastery: Book Illumination from Charlemagne to Charles the Bold (800-1475). Edited by William Noel and Lee Preedy, 57-67. Turnhout, Belgium: Brepols, 2002; pp. 66 (fig. 13), 67.

Schwarz, Michael V. Visuelle Medien im christlichen Kult‬: Fallstudien aus dem 13. bis 16. Jahrhundert‬. Vienna, Cologne, and Weimar: Böhlau, 2002; pp. 156, 158 (Abb. 17), 160. ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Gathercole, Patricia M. The Depiction of Angels and Demons in Medieval French Manuscript Illumination. Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press, 2004; p. 20.

Randall, Lilian M. C. “Frontal Heads in the Borders of Parisian and South Netherlandish Books of Hours, ca. 1415-60.” In Tributes in Honor of Jonathan J. G. Alexander: The Making and Meaning of Illuminated Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts, Art, and Architecture. Edited by Susan L’Engle and Gerald B. Gest, 249-268. Turnhout, Belgium: Harvey Miller Publishers, 2006; pp. 256, 259, fig. 8.

Reinburg, Virginia. French Books of Hours: Making an Archive of Prayer, c. 1400-1600. Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press, 2012; pp. ix, 216, 217.

Gathercole, Patricia M. The Depiction of Clothing in Medieval French Manuscripts. Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press, 2008; frontispiece (fol. 13v), p. 76.

Principal cataloger: Randall, Lilian M.C.

Cataloger: Herbold, Rebekah

Editor: Herbert, Lynley

Copy editor: Wallace, Susan

Conservators: Owen, Linda; Quandt, Abigail

Contributors: Emery, Doug; Noel, William; Ransom, Allison; 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.