Walters Ms. W.279, Book of Hours

W.279

Book of Hours

Book of Hours

This Book of Hours was completed by followers of Loyset Liédet ca. 1470 in Bruges. The calendar and litany feature saints venerated in Bruges, Brittany, and Angers, which locates the book to the northwest region of Flanders. This book contains eleven extant miniatures and a hymn to the Virgin, which was added to the end of the book early on. There is an unusual scribal error spanning fols. 182v and 183r, where 182v is an incomplete repetition of 183v, and 183r contains the same text as 182r. Therefore, the entire opening from 182v to 183r is redundant and interrupts the proper flow of the text, but would have been difficult to remove without also removing the texts in their proper places. It is interesting evidence of the potential errors that could arise from the practice of copying models.

Ca. 1470 CE

Bruges (?)

Supplied name: Loyset Liédet orbit

Book

Devotional

The primary language in this manuscript is Latin.

Parchment

Medium-thick weight parchment, selected and prepared carefully; front flyleaf is modern parchment

Foliation: i+193+i

Modern pencil foliation upper right corners rectos

Formula: Quires 1-2: 6 (fols. 1-12); Quire 3: 8 (fols. 13-20); Quire 4: 6 (fols. 21-26); Quire 5: 4 (fols. 27-30); Quire 6: 8, lacking first folio (fols. 31-37); Quire 7: 10, lacking first folio (fols. 38-46); Quires 8-9: 8 (fols. 47-62; Quire 10: 8, lacking the seventh folio (fols. 63-69); Quires 11-12: 8 (fols. 70-85); Quire 13: 10 (fols. 86-95); Quires 14-15: 8 (fols. 96-111); Quire 16: 10 (fols. 112-121); Quires 17-18: 8 (fols. 122-137); Quire 19: 10 (fols. 138-147); Quires 20-22: 8 (fols. 148-171); Quire 23: 4 (fols. 172-175); Quires 24-25: 8 (fols. 176-191); Quire 26: 2 (fols. 192-193)

Catchwords: Mostly extant on lower right corner of last verso in quire beginning on fol. 26v

Signatures: Somewhat extant beginning on fol. 16r

Comments: In quire 7 miniature removed from quire 10 has been affixed to the verso of fol. 37; in quire 10 the seventh folio was removed (stub visible), and image added to fol. 37 intended replace it

13.9 cm wide by 20.0 cm high

6.4 cm wide by 10.5 cm high

1. Columns: 1
2. Ruled lines: 14
3. Ruled in light purple ink; layout does not apply to calendar: written space 6.4 x 10.5 cm; 3 columns of 17 lines

fols. 1r - 193v:

1. Title: Book of Hours
2. Hand note: Written in Burgundian littera batarda; change of hand on fol. 31r; early inserted hymn at end of book written in textura
3. Decoration note: Eleven extant full-page miniatures; fol. 37r moved from Prime section in Hours of the Virgin; Matins from Hours of the Cross missing; eleven historiated initials (4-7 lines), one added later; foliate borders surrounding full-page miniatures; foliate borders at fore-edge accompanying folios with historiated initials; decorated initials opposite full-page miniatures, mostly light blue and rose with white detail, some red and pink letters (4 lines); smaller decorated initials at secondary text openings and "KL" in calendar (2 lines), with small initials at versals (1 line); foliate line fillers in blue and pink with white decoration throughout; rubrics in red; text in black ink

fols. 1r - 12v:

1. Title: Calendar
2. Rubric: Janvier a. xxxi jour. et la lune. xxx.
3. Contents: Calendar full; graded in red and black; contains saints venerated in Bruges, Angers and Brittany; saints of note include Charlemagne (Jan. 28), Veranus (Feb. 25), Alexander (Mar. 11), Gregory I (Mar. 13), Macedonius (Mar. 14), Paternus (Mar. 17), Victorinus (Mar. 22), Paul (Mar. 23), Guntram (Mar. 28), Benignus (Apr. 3), Maturin (May 10, also Jun. 2), Projectus (Jun. 7), Piatus (Jun. 13, usually Oct. 1), Basil (Jun. 14, spelled "Baselis" as per Bruges), Marina (Jun. 18), Apollonia (Jun. 22), La nostre dame (Jul. 3), Lunarius (Jul. 8), Olyus (Jul. 9), Tenenan (Jul. 13, usually Jul. 16 in Brittany), Monulf (Jul. 16), Pastor (Jul. 26), Radegundis (Aug. 14), Armagil (Aug. 16, Brittany), Symphorianus (Aug. 23), Geferin (Aug. 26), Auphins (Aug. 27), Aegydius (Sept. 1), Gregory I (Sept. 3), Clodoald (Sept. 6), Lidorius (Sept. 12, Tours), Euphemia (Sept. 15), Antiochus (Sept. 19), Maurice (Sept. 21, Angers), Florentius (Sept. 22, confessor, Angers), Cyprian (Sept. 25), Damianus (Sept. 26), Florentius (Sept. 27, martyr, Autun), Candidus (Oct. 3), Marcellus (Oct. 8, Angers), Gereon (Oct. 11), Callistus (Oct. 13), Donatian (Oct. 14, Bruges), Magnobod (Oct. 16), Lupus (Oct. 17, Angers), Crispinus (Oct. 24), Ivo (Oct. 29, Brittany), Melanius (Nov. 6, Brittany), Renatus (Nov. 12, Angers), Livinus (Nov. 13), Gregory (Nov. 16), Maurice (Dec. 2, reception of arm relic in Angers), Nicasius (Dec. 18), Gatianus (Dec. 19), Julius (Dec. 22), Honoratus (Dec. 23)

fols. 13r - 28v:

1. Title: Gospel sequences and prayers to the Virgin
2. Artist: Loyset Liédet orbit
3. Rubric: Secundum Johannem
4. Incipit: In principio erat verbum
5. Contents: Fols. 13r-19v: Gospel sequences; John 1.1-14, Luke 1.26-38, Matthew 2.1-12 and Mark 16.14-20; fols. 19v-28v: Two prayers to the Virgin; fol. 20r: Obsecro te; fol. 25r: O intermerata
6. Hand note: Historiated initials fols. 20r and 25r

fols. 31r - 34v:

1. Title: Hours of the Cross
2. Artist: Loyset Liédet orbit
3. Rubric: Incipiunt hore de sancta cruce
4. Incipit: Domine labia mea
5. Decoration note: Decorated initial fol. 31r; missing full-page miniature at Matins of Hours of the Cross after fol. 30v

fols. 37v - 112r:

1. Title: Hours of the Virgin
2. Artist: Loyset Liédet orbit
3. Incipit: Domine labia mea
4. Contents: Canonical hours begin with "Ad..." starting on fol. 51r before Lauds and on the first line of opening page of text in each subsequent hour; omitted at None on fol. 89r
5. Decoration note: Full-page miniatures fols. 37v, 52v, 75v, 82v, 88v, 95v, 106v and 112v; full-page miniature missing at Matins after fol. 37v, replaced by the miniature from Prime

fols. 112v - 129v:

1. Title: Seven Penitential Psalms
2. Artist: Loyset Liédet orbit
3. Incipit: Domine ne infurore
4. Decoration note: Full-page miniature fol. 112v

fols. 129v - 136r:

1. Title: Litany, petitions, and collects
2. Incipit: Kyrieleyson
3. Contents: Particular to western France as per calendar; fols. 129v-133r: litany, including fifteen apostles from Peter to Luke; eighteen martyrs, including Cornelius, Cyprian, Quintinus, Dionysius, Eustace and Maurice; seventeen confessors, including Augustine, Jerome, Ambrose, Thomas, William, Ivo, Paul, Herveus, Goeznouee, Corentine, Maudez, Branwallader, Nicholas, Benedict, Mattlori, Brictius and Maclovius; sixteen virgins, including Anne, Mary Magdalene, Mary Egyptian, Felicitas, Martha, Barbara, Catherine, Faith, Hope, Charity and Chastity; fols. 133r-135v: petitions; fols. 135v-136r: two collects; begin with "oratio"

fols. 138v - 173r:

1. Title: Office of the Dead
2. Artist: Loyset Liédet orbit
3. Rubric: Incipiunt vigilie mortuorum
4. Incipit: Placebo. Dilexi quoniam
5. Contents: Short version, three lessons
6. Decoration note: Full-page miniature fol. 138v

fols. 176v - 189r:

1. Title: Suffrages
2. Artist: Loyset Liédet orbit
3. Rubric: De sancto Christoforo
4. Incipit: Beatus qui super eius humeros verum
5. Contents: Sufferages: fol. 176v: Christopher; fol. 177v: Sebastian; fol. 179r: John the Baptist; fol. 180r: Peter and Paul; fol. 180v: James the Greater; fol. 181v: Anthony; fol. 183v: all saints; fol. 184v: Barbara; fol. 185v: Catherine; fol. 186v: Margaret; fol. 187v: Apollonia; fol. 188v: Mary Magdalene
6. Text note: Scribal error on fols. 182v-183r: 182v is an incomplete repetition of 183v, 183v contains same text as 182r on lines 2-14; first line on 182v left empty for heading; space on fore-edge left empty for historiated initial
7. Decoration note: Full-page miniatures fols. 176v and 184v; historiated initials fols. 177v, 179r, 180r, 180v, 181v, 183v, 186v, 187v and 188v

fols. 190r - 193v:

1. Title: Hymn to the Virgin
2. Incipit: Ave virgo graciosa
3. Contents: Added early
4. Decoration note: Historiated initial fol. 190r; appears to be by different artist than rest of manuscript

fol. 20r:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "O" with Virgin and Child
3. Form: Historiated initial "O," 4 lines
4. Text: Prayers to the Virgin: Obsecro te

fol. 25r:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "O" with Virgin and Child
3. Form: Historiated initial "O," 4 lines
4. Text: Prayers to the Virgin: O intemerata

fol. 37v:

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

fol. 52v:

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

fol. 75v:

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

fol. 82v:

1. 
2. Title: Presentation in the Temple
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Sext

fol. 88v:

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

fol. 95v:

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

fol. 106v:

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

fol. 112v:

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

fol. 138v:

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

fol. 176v:

1. 
2. Title: St. Christopher carrying Christ-Child
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Suffrages

fol. 177v:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "O" with St. Sebastian
3. Form: Historiated initial "O," 7 lines
4. Text: Suffrages

fol. 179r:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "I" with St. John the Baptist
3. Form: Historiated initial "I," 7 lines
4. Text: Suffrages

fol. 180r:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "P" with St. Peter and St. Paul
3. Form: Historiated initial "P," 7 lines
4. Text: Suffrages

fol. 180v:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "O" with St. James the Greater
3. Form: Historiated initial "O," 7 lines
4. Text: Suffrages

fol. 181v:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "A" with St. Anthony
3. Form: Historiated initial "A," 7 lines
4. Text: Suffrages

fol. 183v:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "O" with All Saints
3. Form: Historiated initial "O," 7 lines
4. Text: Suffrages

fol. 184v:

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

fol. 186v:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "A" with St. Margaret and the dragon
3. Form: Historiated initial "A," 7 lines
4. Text: Suffrages

fol. 187v:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "I" with St. Apollonia
3. Form: Historiated initial "I," 7 lines
4. Text: Suffrages

fol. 188v:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "I" with St. Mary Magdalene
3. Form: Historiated initial "I," 7 lines
4. Text: Suffrages

fol. 190r:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "A" with Virgin and Child in golden radiance
3. Form: Historiated initial "A," 6 lines
4. Text: Hymn to the Virgin

The binding is not original.

Bound in Belgium(?) in fifteenth or sixteenth century; re-backed and spine received blind tooling ca. 1900; dark reddish brown leather boards; five single bands sewn on; rounded and backed spine; decorative blind tooling repeated four times on upper and lower board; modern green, beige and white end bands with edge bead around core; two silver edge pin fastenings attached to upper board ca. 1900

Created in Bruges ca. 1470 by followers of Loyset Liédet

"Lombard" or "Lombiard" inscribed in seventeenth-century hand on fol. 1 in top margin, possibly a name or indication of ownership in that period

Notes about contents of manuscript in pencil on front pastedown indicate modern Italian ownership

Henry Walters, Baltimore, acquired between 1895 and 1931

Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters' bequest

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. 795, cat. no. 245.

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, 1976, p. 721-723.

Owens, M.B., "Musical Subjects in the Illumination of Books of Hours from Fifteenth-Century France and Flanders," PhD dissertation, University of Chicago, 1987, p. 453.

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. 342-348, cat. no. 269

Legaré, Anne-Marie. “Loyset Liédet: un noveau manuscrit enluminé.” Revue de l'art 126 (1999): 36-49; p. 46 (n. 5).

Gathercole, Patricia M. The Depiction of Women in Medieval French Manuscript Illumination. Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press, 2000; p. 85.

Principal cataloger: Randall, Lilian M.C.

Cataloger: Ransom, Allison

Editor: Herbert, Lynley

Copy editor: Dibble, Charles

Conservators: Owen, Linda; Quandt, Abigail

Contributors: Cooper, Madeline; Emery, Doug; Noel, William; Shartrand, Emily; 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.