Walters Ms. W.437, Aussem Hours

W.437

Aussem Hours

Book of Hours

This early sixteenth-century book of hours was made for the Aussem family in Cologne, Germany, a provenance proclaimed through family heraldry within the manuscript, as well as the arms of Cologne stamped on its original leather binding. Lavishly illuminated throughout with full-page miniatures and historiated initials, the manuscript is just as notable for the marginal decorations that surround the figurative scenes. Illusionistic jewelry, architecture, texts, flowers, and insects abound.

Early 16th century CE

Cologne, Germany

Book

Devotional

The primary language in this manuscript is Latin. The secondary language of this manuscript is German, Middle High (ca.1050-1500).

Parchment

Medium-weight, cream-colored parchment, well finished

Foliation: 119

Foliation in pencil, upper right margin; fols 1-4 and 111-119 are blank but ruled; fol. 5 is blank and unruled, but is integral to second quire with text

Formula: 1(4), 2(8), 3(6), 4-15(8), 16(5)

Catchwords: None

Signatures: None

Comments: Quires begin on fols. 1, 5, 13, 19, 27, 35, 43, 51, 59, 67, 75, 83, 91, 99, 107, 115

12.1 cm wide by 16.5 cm high

6.1 cm wide by 8.5 cm high

1. Columns: 1
2. Ruled lines: 18
3. Ruled in red ink

fols. 6r - 110v:

1. Title: Book of Hours
2. Hand note: Late textura formata with secretary form of "S"
3. Decoration note: Ten full-page miniatures, one half-page miniature (8 lines), six historiated initials (7-13 lines); decorative borders, often gilded and including illusionistic depictions of jewels, flowers, and architecture, around all full-page miniatures, and match across opening where they surround historiated or decorated initials at opening of text; decorated initials of all sizes throughout (1-8 lines), usually in gold against blue, pink, or green ground; calendar undecorated except for initials; rubrics in red, text in black ink

fols. 6r - 17v:

1. Title: Calendar
2. Rubric: Januarius habet dies xxxi luna xxx nox habet horas xvi dies viii
3. Contents: Calendar half-full; graded in red and black; it contains a large number of Cologne saints: Pantaleon Martyr (Jul. 27), Gereon (Oct. 10), Severinus, bishop of Cologne (Oct. 23), and Bishop Kunibert (Nov. 12)
4. Decoration note: Each month begins with large foliate "KL" (3 lines)

fols. 18r - 18r:

1. Title: Easter table
2. Incipit: In hac praesenti tabula
3. Contents: Table begins with the year 1512

fols. 19v - 43v:

1. Title: Hours of the Virgin
2. Incipit: Domine labia mea aperies
3. Contents: Use of Cologne
4. Decoration note: Full-page miniature, fol. 19v; historiated initial, fol. 20r

fols. 44v - 52r:

1. Title: Seven Penitential Psalms
2. Incipit: Domine ne in furore tuo
3. Decoration note: Full-page miniature, fol. 44v; historiated initial, fol. 45r

fols. 52r - 58r:

1. Title: Litany, petitions, invocations, and collects
2. Rubric: Letania
3. Incipit: Kyrie eleyson
4. Contents: Fol. 52r: litany; fols. 52r-56v: petitions and invocations; noteworthy Cologne saints: Severinus, Kunibert, and Heribert; fols. 57r-58r: collects

fols. 58r - 63r:

1. Title: Hours of the Cross
2. Rubric: Incipiunt hore de sancta cruce et premit
3. Incipit: Iesus christus dominus noster
4. Decoration note: Full-page miniature, fol. 58v; historiated initial, fol. 59r

fols. 62v - 65v:

1. Title: Prayers of St. Gregory
2. Rubric: Item alle die gene die da in dem stait der genaden synt ind myt gebouchde kneen nur die wapen ind luden unsers here iesu christi yn gedechtenisse syns hillige lydens bedent disse nae gestreuen ix gebeder mit ix pater noster ind ix ave maria berdeinent tzwei in nuntzich dusent iaer afflaitz ind lxxx dage Die daer tzosynt gegeuen van dem hillige pais sent gregorio ind van villen an deren paisen die nahem synt comen
3. Incipit: O here iesu christe
4. Contents: Nine prayers; incipits: fol. 64r: O here Jesu Christe ich anbeden dich; fol. 64v: O here Iesu Christe ich anbeden dich; O here Iesu Christe ich bidden dich; O here Iesu Christe ich anbeden dich; O here Iesu Christe ich anbeden dich; fol. 65r: O here Iesu Christe ich anbeden dich; O here Iesu Christe goide hirde; Aller liefste here vader; fol. 65v: O here Iesus Christe levendige godes son
5. Decoration note: Full-page miniature, fol. 63v; historiated initial, fol. 64r

fols. 66v - 70r:

1. Title: Prayers on the Sufferings of Christ
2. Decoration note: Full-page miniature, fol. 66v; historiated initial, fol. 67r

fols. 70r - 82r:

1. Title: Prayers on the Virgin Mary, on God the Father, and on the Cross

fols. 82v - 94r:

1. Title: Prayers of the Sacred Sacrament
2. Incipit: O lieue here Ihesu Criste
3. Decoration note: Full-page miniature, fol. 82v; decorated initial within matching foliate marginal illumination, fol. 83r

fols. 94v - 103r:

1. Title: Sunday Vespers and Compline
2. Decoration note: Full-page miniature, fol. 94v; historiated initial, fol. 95r

fols. 103v - 105r:

1. Title: Prayer to the Three Magi
2. Contents: Text is in German, but inscription within marginal decoration is in Latin
3. Decoration note: Full-page miniature, fol. 103v; decorated initial within matching marginal illumination, fol. 104r

fols. 105r - 106v:

1. Title: Prayer to St. Peter
2. Rubric: Gebet van sent peter apostell
3. Incipit: O here sent Peter usserkoren apostell Christi
4. Decoration note: Full-page miniature, fol. 105v; decorated initial within matching foliate marginal illumination, fol. 106r

fols. 106v - 107r:

1. Title: Prayer to St. Paul
2. Rubric: Van sent pauwel apostell
3. Incipit: O heiliger apostel paule

fols. 107r - 108r:

1. Title: Prayer to St. Erasmus
2. Incipit: O helige Erasme mertler Christi
3. Decoration note: Half-page miniature, fol. 107v

fols. 108r - 110v:

1. Title: Prayer to St. Catherine
2. Incipit: Bys gegroet hillige ionfroub sent Katherin
3. Decoration note: Full-page miniature, fol. 108v; decorated initial within matching foliate marginal illumination, fol. 109r

fol. 19v:

1. 
2. Title: Annunciation, with flowers and insects in margins
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin
5. Comment:

   The inscription in the image reads: "Ave gratia plena"

fol. 20r:

1. 
2. Title: Visitation, with flowers and insects in margins
3. Form: Historiated initial "D," 13 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Virgin

fol. 44v:

1. 
2. Title: David sees Bathsheba bathing; David sends her husband Uriah into battle, with illusionistic architecture in margins
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Seven Penitential Psalms

fol. 45r:

1. 
2. Title: David kneeling, with illusionistic architecture in margins
3. Form: Historiated initial "D," 13 lines
4. Text: Seven Penitential Psalms

fol. 58v:

1. 
2. Title: Crucifixion with Mary, John, and a donor with Aussem coat of arms, with gold and floral margins
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Hours of the Cross

fol. 59r:

1. 
2. Title: Pontius Pilate presents the scourged Christ to the crowd, with gold and floral margins
3. Form: Historiated initial "P," 13 lines
4. Text: Hours of the Cross
5. Comment:

   The inscription in the image reads: "Ecce homo"

fol. 63v:

1. 
2. Title: Mass of St. Gregory, with illusionistic jewelry in margins
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Prayers of St. Gregory

fol. 64r:

1. 
2. Title: Mocking of Christ, with illusionistic jewelry in margins
3. Form: Historiated initial "O," 13 lines
4. Text: Prayers of St. Gregory

fol. 66v:

1. 
2. Title: Christ carrying the Cross, with illusionistic architecture in margins
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Prayers on the Sufferings of Christ

fol. 67r:

1. 
2. Title: Entombment, with illusionistic architecture in margins
3. Form: Historiated initial "E," 8 lines
4. Text: Prayers on the Sufferings of Christ

fol. 82v:

1. 
2. Title: Celebration of mass with Aussem family member receiving communion, with flowers and hybrid creatures in margins
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Prayer of the Sacred Sacrament

fol. 83r:

1. 
2. Title: Foliate initial "O" with flowers and hybrid creatures in margins
3. Form: Decorated initial "O," 7 lines
4. Text: Prayer of the Sacred Sacrament

fol. 94v:

1. 
2. Title: Risen Christ holding an orb
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Nine psalms

fol. 95r:

1. 
2. Title: Coronation of the Virgin
3. Form: Historiated initial "D," 13 lines
4. Text: Psalm 109

fol. 103v:

1. 
2. Title: Adoration of the Magi, with illusionistic text and jewels in margins
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Prayer to the Three Magi
5. Comment:

   The inscription in the margin reads (across the opening): "Gloria i[n] excelcis deo et i[n] terra pax, hominibus bonae voluntatis. Veni creator spiritus or "Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, goodwill to men. Come creator spirit"

fol. 104r:

1. 
2. Title: Foliate initial "A" with illusionistic text and jewels in margins
3. Form: Decorative initial "A," 9 lines
4. Text: Prayer to the Three Magi
5. Comment:

   The inscription in the margin reads (across the opening): "Gloria i[n] excelcis deo et i[n] terra pax, hominibus bonae voluntatis. Veni creator spiritus" or "Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, goodwill to men. Come creator spirit"

fol. 105v:

1. 
2. Title: SS. Peter and Paul, with marginal flowers and insects
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Prayer to St. Peter

fol. 106r:

1. 
2. Title: Foliate initial "O" with marginal flowers and insects
3. Form: Decorated initial "O," 8 lines
4. Text: Prayer to St. Peter

fol. 107v:

1. 
2. Title: Martyrdom of St. Erasmus
3. Form: Half-page miniature
4. Text: Prayer to St. Erasmus

fol. 108v:

1. 
2. Title: SS. Catherine and Barbara, with gold and floral marginal decoration
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Prayer to St. Catherine

fol. 109r:

1. 
2. Title: Foliate initial "B," with gold and floral marginal decoration
3. Form: Decorated initial "B," 8 lines
4. Text: Prayer to St. Catherine

The binding is original.

Germany, sixteenth century; brown leather over wooden boards with stamped designs of fleurs-de-lis, rosettes, unicorns, Cologne heraldry, St. Paul under an arch; holes visible where clasps (now missing) were originally attached

Aussem family, Cologne, early sixteenth century; indications of ownership include coat of arms (fol. 58v) and kneeling donor (fol. 82v)

Marshall C. Lefferts collection, New York, before 1901; ex-libris on front pastedown

George H. Richmond collection, New York, acquired from Lefferts in 1901 (1901 checklist, p. 55)

Henry Walters, Baltimore, acquired before 1931

Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters' bequest

De Ricci, Seymour. Census of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the United States and Canada. Vol. 1. New York: H. W. Wilson Company, 1935, p. 811, cat. no. 337.

The History of Bookbinding, 525-1950 A.D.: An Exhibition Held at the Baltimore Museum of Art, November 12, 1957, to January 12, 1958. Baltimore: The Walters Art Gallery, 1957, p. 64, cat. no. 150.

Jewelry, Ancient to Modern. Baltimore: Walters Art Gallery, 1980, p. 164.

Hudson, Deal W. "The Real Meaning of the Real Presence." Crisis Magazine 19 (June 2001): pp. 40-45 at p. 43 (fol. 93v).

Cataloger: Herbert, Lynley

Editors: Herbert, Lynley; Noel, William

Copy editor: Dibble, Charles

Conservators: Owen, Linda; Quandt, Abigail

Contributors: Bockrath, Diane; Emery, Doug; Hamburger, Jeffrey; Noel, William; Pizzinato, Riccardo; Tabritha, Ariel; Toth, Michael B.

The Walters Art Museum

Licensed for use under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Access Rights, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-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.