Walters Ms. W.321, Calendar illustrations from a Book of Hours

W.321

Calendar illustrations from a Book of Hours

These two illuminations were cut out of a deluxe Book of Hours that was originally created ca. 1450-60. It is likely that they are by an artist based in Bruges, as they are stylistically related to works from that region in that period (see, for example, W.240). They have been compared to the miniatures in the Hours of Juana Enríquez (Madrid, Biblioteca de Palacio, unnumbered), as well as to the work of the Master of Girart de Roussillon, active in Brussels ca. 1450-70. The images came from the January and February calendars, although they were framed in the reverse order, with February on the left, and January on the right. A frame of tortoise shell and gilded copper was created for their display, likely in the seventeenth century, and the date of the frame may suggest when the images were removed from their original manuscript context.

Ca. 1450-60 CE

Bruges (?)

Leaves

Devotional

No linguistic content; Not applicable

Foliation: Two small cuttings from a Book of Hours

The size given is for the manuscript fragments alone without their frame; frame size is 5.3 x 8.5 cm

3.0 cm wide by 3.0 cm high

1. Title: Miniatures for January and February
2. Decoration note: Two small miniatures cut from the calendar of a Book of Hours, representing January and February (3 x 3 cm each)

Front:

1. 
2. Title: Left: Miniature for February with man warming self by fire; Right: Miniature for January with man feasting by fire
3. Form: Two small miniatures (3 x 3 cm each)
4. Text: Calendar: January and February

Inapplicable.

Enclosed in tortoise shell frame with decorative gilt copper device for hanging, possibly seventeenth century

Originally from calendar of a deluxe Book of Hours, likely created in Bruges ca. 1450-60

Two miniatures cut from original manuscript before seventeenth century, when they were framed as they are now

Henry Walters, Baltimore, acquired before 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. 797, cat. no. 257.

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. 250-251, cat. no. 249.

Principal cataloger: Randall, Lilian M.C.

Cataloger: Herbert, Lynley

Editor: Herbert, Lynley

Copy editor: Dibble, Charles

Conservators: Huber, Terra; Quandt, Abigail

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

The Walters Art Museum

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