Walters Ms. W.420, Almugavar Hours

W.420

Almugavar Hours

Book of Hours

This book of hours was produced ca. 1510-1520 for a member of the Catalonian Almugavar (or Almogàver) family, whose coat of arms appears throughout the manuscript in the borders of the lavish full-page miniatures. There are twenty-six full-page polychrome miniatures (three are missing), of which six were removed from the original quire structure after portions of the miniatures were excised, and then returned to the manuscript, having been pasted onto heavy card-stock folios. There are also eighteen full-page incipits, of which three include historiated vignettes, and numerous folios with elaborate floral motif borders. A significant number of feast days associated with Barcelona help reinforce the Spanish attribution of the manuscript, although the style of the decoration is clearly influenced by contemporary Flemish design.

1510-1520 CE

Catalonia (?), Spain

Book

Devotional

The primary language in this manuscript is Latin.

Parchment

Very thin to medium-weight calfskin, carefully selected and prepared; six full-page miniatures were removed, attached to heavy paper stock, and reinserted into the manuscript; lower-outside corner of fol. 1 torn off; fol. 248 shows moderate damage where inserts were pasted in and later removed; minor wormhole damage on fols. 297-301

Foliation: i+301+ii

Foliated in pencil, upper right corners, rectos

Formula: 1(12), 2(10), 3(10,-8), 4(12,-11), 5(10), 6(10), 7(10), 8(10,-1), 9(9?), 10(10), 11(10), 12(10), 13(12,-9), 14(13?), 15(9?), 16(10?), 17(10), 18(10), 19(10), 20(8), 21(9?), 22(10), 23(10), 24(10), 25(10?), 26(8), 27(12), 28(7?), 29 (?)

Catchwords: Catchwords located at ends of quires, beginning with quire 4 (fol. 41v), though not consistent throughout; written horizontally in textura script at the bottom of the folio

Signatures: None

Comments: First folios of each quire on fols. 1, 13, 23, 32, 42, 52, 63, 73, 82, 91, 101, 111, 121, 133, 146, 155, 165, 175, 185, 195, 203, 212, 222, 232, 242, 252, 260, 272, and 279

12.9 cm wide by 18.9 cm high

12.9 cm wide by 18.9 cm high

1. Columns: 1
2. Ruled lines: 9-17

fols. 1r - 301v:

1. Title: Book of Hours
2. Hand note: Textura
3. Decoration note: Twenty-six full-page polychrome and gilded miniatures and eighteen full-page incipits, all with floral ornament and some with biblical scenes, bust-portraits of prophets, and/or drolleries; numerous folios decorated with floral-motif borders; coat of arms of Almugavar family appears regularly in the borders of the full-page miniatures; decorated initials marking subdivisions of text (one to two lines) are gilded, along with floral motifs, against red or blue square or rectangular backgrounds; rubrics in red ink or gilded against polychrome background; major feast days in red ink; text in brown ink

fols. 1r - 12v:

1. Title: Calendar
2. Incipit: Januarius habet dies .xxxi. luna .xxx. Nox habet horas .xvi. dies vero .viii.
3. Contents: Calendar two-thirds full; graded in brown and red ink
4. Decoration note: Gilded "KL" (two lines) and "A" (one line) letters against blue background with white accents

fols. 13v - 22r:

1. Title: Magnificat and four psalms
2. Rubric: Incipit canticum graduum beatissime virginis mea anima Maria virgo. Psalms.
3. Incipit: Magnificat anima mea dominum
4. Decoration note: Full-page miniature on fol. 13v; full-page incipit with biblical scenes in border on fol. 14r

fols. 24v - 124v:

1. Title: Hours of the Virgin
2. Rubric: Hincipit officium beate virginis Marie romane curie ad matutinum
3. Incipit: Domine labia mea aperies
4. Decoration note: Full-page miniatures on fols. 23v, 40v, 57v, 65v, 79v, 84v, and 94v; full-page incipits on fols. 24r, 30r, 58r, 66r, 73r, 80r, 85r, and 95r

fols. 125v - 135v:

1. Title: Mass of the Virgin and Gospel Lesson of John
2. Rubric: Missa beate Marie virginis et mater dei
3. Incipit: Salue sancta parens enixa puerpera regem qui celum terramque regit in secula seculorum
4. Decoration note: Full-page miniature on fol. 125v; full-page incipit on fol. 126r

fols. 136r - 201v:

1. Title: Office of the Dead
2. Rubric: Vesperas pro de fvntis fide libvs an
3. Incipit: Placebo domino. Dilexi quoniam exaudiet dominus vocem orationis meae
4. Decoration note: Full-page miniature on fol. 146v; full-page incipits on fols. 136r and 147r; decorated floral borders on fols. 147v and 149r-152v

fols. 203v - 235v:

1. Title: Penitential Psalms, litany, and prayers
2. Rubric: Septem salmes
3. Incipit: Domine ne in furore tuo arguas me neque in ira tua corripias me
4. Decoration note: Full-page miniature on fol. 203v; full-page incipit on fol. 204r; decorated floral borders on fols. 204v-211r

fols. 236v - 248v:

1. Title: Obsecro te, Athanasian Creed
2. Incipit: Obsecro te domina mater dei piissima summi regis filia mater gloriosissima
3. Decoration note: Full-page miniature on fol. 236v; full-page incipit on fol. 237r

fols. 251r - 283v:

1. Title: Suffrages
2. Rubric: In sancti iohannis baptiste antiphone.
3. Incipit: Misso herodes spiculatore precepit amputari caput iohannis in carcere
4. Decoration note: Full-page miniatures on fols. 252v, 254v, 256v, 260v, 263v, 269v, 271v, 274v, 276v, 278v, and 280v; full-page incipits on fols. 261r and 281r

fols. 284v - 288v:

1. Title: Salve sancta facies
2. Incipit: Salve sancta facies nostri redemptoris, in qua nitet species divini splendoris.
3. Decoration note: Full-page miniature on fol. 284v

fols. 289v - 295r:

1. Title: Hours of the Cross
2. Rubric: Incipiunt hore sancte crucis
3. Incipit: Domine labia mea aperies
4. Decoration note: Full-page miniature on fol. 289v; full-page incipit on fol. 290r; decorated floral borders on fols. 290v-294v

fols. 296r - 301r:

1. Title: Hours of the Holy Spirit
2. Rubric: Hore spiritus sancti
3. Incipit: Domine labia mea aperies. Et os meum annunciabit laudem tuam.
4. Decoration note: Full-page incipit on fol. 296r; decorated floral borders on fols. 296v-301r

fol. 13v:

1. 
2. Title: Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple and decorative border with angels, a coat of arms, and floral and faunal motifs
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Magnificat
5. Comment:

   Lower-right portion of the miniature has been excised

fol. 14r:

1. 
2. Title: Decorative border and incipit with illusionistic jewels and miniatures of the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Magnificat

fol. 23v:

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

   Sections of the decorative border on all four sides have been excised, with the remaining miniature attached to a heavy paper insert

fol. 24r:

1. 
2. Title: Decorative border and incipit with illusionistic jewels and flowers
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Matins

fol. 30r:

1. 
2. Title: Decorative border and incipit with flowers and fantastical creatures
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Lauds

fol. 40v:

1. 
2. Title: Visitation and decorative border flowers, birds, and fantastical creatures
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Lauds

fol. 57v:

1. 
2. Title: Nativity and decorative border with clipeate busts, flowers, and a coat of arms
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Prime

fol. 58r:

1. 
2. Title: Decorative border and incipit with flowers
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Prime

fol. 65v:

1. 
2. Title: Annunciation to the shepherds and decorative border with floral motifs and a coat of arms
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Terce
5. Comment:

   Sections of Nativity scene and border have been excised, with the remaining miniature attached to a heavy paper insert

fol. 66r:

1. 
2. Title: Decorative border and incipit with floral and faunal motifs
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Terce

fol. 73r:

1. 
2. Title: Decorative border and incipit with floral and faunal motifs
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Sext

fol. 79v:

1. 
2. Title: Adoration of the Magi and decorative border with flowers, fantastical creatures, and an archer
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: None
5. Comment:

   Upper and lower edges of folio have been excised, with the remaining miniature attached to a heavy paper insert

fol. 80r:

1. 
2. Title: Decorative border and incipit with floral motifs, birds, fantastical creatures, and an angel with a coat of arms
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: None

fol. 84v:

1. 
2. Title: Presentation in the Temple and decorative border with illusionistic jewels, coats of arms, floral and faunal motifs, and a hunter with his dog
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Vespers
5. Comment:

   Two sections of the border have been excised, with the remaining miniature attached to a heavy paper insert

fol. 85r:

1. 
2. Title: Decorative border and incipit with flowers, birds, fantastical creatures, and a coat of arms
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Vespers

fol. 94v:

1. 
2. Title: Coronation of the Virgin and decorative border with floral and faunal motifs and vignettes
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Compline

fol. 95r:

1. 
2. Title: Decorative border and incipit with floral motifs and fantastical creatures
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin: Compline

fol. 125v:

1. 
2. Title: Christ among the Doctors and decorative border with flowers and a coat of arms
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Mass of the Virgin

fol. 126r:

1. 
2. Title: Decorative border and incipit with floral motifs and fantastical creatures
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Mass of the Virgin

fol. 136r:

1. 
2. Title: Decorative border and incipit with floral motifs and birds
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Office of the Dead: Vespers

fol. 146v:

1. 
2. Title: Burial service and decorative border with floral motifs and a coat of arms
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Office of the Dead: Matins
5. Comment:

   Three pieces of the left border and the lower-right border, including the figure of a man, have been excised.

fol. 147r:

1. 
2. Title: Decorative border and incipit with floral motifs and birds
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Office of the Dead: Matins
5. Comment:

   Much of the gilt lettering of the rubric has been rubbed off.

fol. 203v:

1. 
2. Title: Christ as Man of Sorrows surrounded by the Arma Christi and saints, and decorative border with floral motifs and two prophets
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Penitential Psalms

fol. 204r:

1. 
2. Title: Decorative border and incipit with floral motifs
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Penitential Psalms

fol. 206r:

1. 
2. Title: Decorative border with floral motifs
3. Form: Border decoration
4. Text: Penitential Psalms

fol. 236v:

1. 
2. Title: Virgin Enthroned, serenaded by angels, and decorative border with flowers and butterflies
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Obsecro te

fol. 237r:

1. 
2. Title: Decorative border and incipit with flowers
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Obsecro te

fol. 252v:

1. 
2. Title: SS. Benedict and Bernard and decorative border with flowers
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Suffrage for SS. Benedict and Bernard

fol. 254v:

1. 
2. Title: Saints Onuphrius and Mary of Egypt and decorative border with flowers, angels, and faunal motifs
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Suffrage for Saints Onuphrius and Mary of Egypt

fol. 256v:

1. 
2. Title: SS. Francis of Assisi and Anthony of Padua and decorative border with flowers
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Suffrage for SS. Francis of Assisi and Anthony of Padua

fol. 260v:

1. 
2. Title: St. Michael slaying the devil, St. Raphael with Tobias, and decorative border with flowers
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Suffrage for SS. Michael and Raphael

fol. 261r:

1. 
2. Title: Incipit and decorative border with floral motifs
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Suffrage for SS. Michael and Raphael

fol. 263v:

1. 
2. Title: Guardian angels and decorative border with flowers
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Suffrage for angels

fol. 266v:

1. 
2. Title: St. Sebastian, St. Anne instructing the Virgin and Child, and decorative border with flowers and birds
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Suffrage for SS. Anne and Sebastian

fol. 269v:

1. 
2. Title: St. George slaying the dragon and decorative border with coats of arms and floral and faunal motifs
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Suffrage for St. George

fol. 271v:

1. 
2. Title: SS. Catherine and Eulalia of Barcelona and decorative border with flowers
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Suffrage for SS. Catherine and Eulalia

fol. 274v:

1. 
2. Title: St. Mary Magdalene, St. Margaret and the dragon, and decorative border with flowers
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Suffrage for SS. Mary Magdalene and Margaret

fol. 276v:

1. 
2. Title: SS. Jerome and Anthony and decorative border with flowers
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Suffrage for SS. Jerome and Anthony

fol. 278v:

1. 
2. Title: SS. Cosmas and Damian and decorative border with floral and faunal motifs and fantastical beasts
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Suffrage for SS. Cosmas and Damian

fol. 280v:

1. 
2. Title: St. Christopher carrying Christ, St. Helena, and decorative border with a prophet and flowers
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Suffrage for SS. Christopher and Helena

fol. 281r:

1. 
2. Title: Incipit and decorative border with floral motifs
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Suffrage for St. Christopher

fol. 284v:

1. 
2. Title: St. Veronica holding the sudarium and decorative border with flowers and birds
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Salve sancta facies

fol. 289v:

1. 
2. Title: Three crosses of Calvary and decorative border with flowers and a bird
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Cross: Matins

fol. 290r:

1. 
2. Title: Incipit and decorative border with floral motifs
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Cross: Matins

fol. 296r:

1. 
2. Title: Incipit and decorative border with floral motifs
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Holy Spirit: Matins

The binding is not original.

Rebound in the nineteenth century (ca. 1835 according to de Ricci) with reddish brown morocco; blind-tooled and stamped with gold; upper and lower boards include gilded bands of feathers along outer edges; central octagonal space is occupied by floral motifs and framed by blind-tooled beaded guilloché roll and three gilded fillets; Gothic arches and stars project from the corners of the central frame; blind-tooled groups of four vertical lines and gilded floral motifs extend between the arches; spine divided into three rectangular frames, of which the upper and lower depict birds and stars framed by floral motifs, and the central frame includes two Gothic windows with stars; rope-cord design separates the individual frames; fore-edge decorated with gilded spear-head and flower roll; inner-board edges decorated with gilded tulip and bud motif

Produced for the Amulgavar family of Catalonia ca. 1510-1520; Amulgavar coat of arms appears throughout

Owned by Viscount Joseph de Ayala in the eighteenth century (inscription on fol. 1r)

Henry Walters, Baltimore, purchased 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, 1935, p. 808, no. 322.

Randall, Lilian M. C. "From Cîteaux Onwards: Cistercian-Related Manuscripts in the Walters Art Gallery." Studies in Cistercian Art and Architecture 3 (1987): pp. 111-136, p. 135, no. 28.

Wieck, Roger S., ed. Time Sanctified: The Book of Hours in Medieval Art and Life. 2nd ed. New York; Baltimore: George Braziller in association with the Walters Art Museum, 2001, p. 224, cat. no. 118.

Cataloger: Dennis, Nathan S

Editor: Herbert, Lynley

Copy editor: Dibble, Charles

Conservators: Owen, Linda; Quandt, Abigail

Contributors: Bockrath, Diane; Dennis, Nathan S; Emery, Doug; Noel, William; Tabritha, Ariel; Toth, Michael B.

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.