Dr. Jörn Günther • Antiquariat
www.guenther-rarebooks.com

CONTENTS

Manuscripts

  1. Glossed Gospels of St Luke and St John,
    Paris or northern France, c. 1210
  2. Psalter with calendar for the diocese of Trier,
    Germany,Trier, c. 1220-40
  3. Psalter and book of hours for the use of Paris,
    illuminated in the du Prat atelier, France, Paris,
    c. 1250-60
  4. Biblia latina, pocket bible, France, Paris, c. 1250
  5. Antiphonary, sanctoral volume, Italy,
    Emilia-Romagna, c. 1270-75
  6. Psalter for the use of Auxerre, France,
    Burgundy or Paris, c. 1300
  7. Antiphonary for a Franciscan convent,
    illuminated by Neri da Rimini, Italy,
    Emilia-Romagna, dated 1314
  8. Vita Sancti Antonii Eremitae – Inventio et
    Translatio, illuminated by the Maestro del 1328,
    Italy, Bologna, c. 1320
  9. Schönrainer Liederhandschrift. Middle High
    German Minnesang manuscript, Germany,
    Hesse, c. 1330
  10. Missale Romanum, illuminated in the workshop
    of Cristoforo Orimina, Italy, Naples, c. 1355
  11. Boethius, De consolatione philosophiae and
    Jean de Meun, Testament, France, Paris, c. 1400
  12. Guido de Columna, Historia destructionis Troiae
    and Giovanni Boccaccio, Il Filostrato, Italy,
    Naples, dated 1414 and 1413
  13. Book of hours for the use of Paris, illuminated
    by the workshop of the Bedford Master, France,
    Paris, c. 1405-10
  14. Compilation of pastoral and mystical texts
    from the library of the Celestines of Marcoussis,
    illuminated by the Hoo Master, France, Paris,
    c. 1425-35
  15. Book of hours for the use of Toul, illuminated
    by the Master of Pommersfelden 351, France,
    Toul or Metz, c. 1435-40
  16. Dominican hymnal, illuminated by the
    Master of 1446, Italy, Bologna, c. 1450
  17. Nicolaus de Lyra, Postilla litteralis super
    Vetus Testamentum, two volumes, Italy,
    Ferrara?, 1441-46
  18. Compilation of history bible and world chronicle,
    the Antichrist and the XV signs and other texts,
    Austria, c. 1450
  19. Book of hours and psalter in Dutch, illuminated
    by the Master of the Haarlem Bible, Masters of
    Otto von Moerdrecht, Masters of Gijsbrecht
    van Brederode et al., northern Netherlands,
    Haarlem, dated 1453
  20. Book of hours for the use of Rome, with
    calendar of Bruges, illuminated by the Master of
    Buchanan E.5, Flanders, Bruges, c. 1450-60
  21. Chronique anonyme universelle, parchment
    scroll, illuminated by the Master of Étienne
    Sauderat, France, Paris?, c. 1450 with additions
    after 1461 and 1467
  22. Psalter with hymnal, illuminated
    by the workshop of Bartolomeo Varnucci,
    Italy, Florence, c. 1460-70
  23. Martin Le Franc, L’Estrif de Fortune et de Vertu,
    illuminated by the Master of the Échevinage
    de Rouen, France, Rouen, c. 1465-75
  24. Book of hours for the use of Utrecht in the Dutch
    translation of Geert Grote, illuminated by one of
    the Masters of Gijsbrecht van Brederode, northern
    Netherlands, probably Utrecht, c. 1465-70
  25. Missale Fratrum Minorum for the convent
    of S. Francesco di Montone, near Perugia,
    illuminated by Bartelomeo and Giapeco
    Caporali, Italy, Perugia, 1469
  26. Book of hours for the use of Rome with
    adaptations for Poitiers and a calendar for
    Angers, illuminated by Maître François,
    France, Paris, c. 1470
  27. Psalter with hymnal, illuminated by the
    workshop of Mariano del Buono di Jacopo,
    Italy, Florence, c. 1470-75
  28. Book of hours for the use of Rome, illuminated
    by Martino da Modena, Italy, Ferrara, c. 1480-85
  29. Book of hours for Dominican use, illuminated
    by the workshop of Matteo Felice, Italy,
    Naples, c. 1480
  30. Giovanni Boccaccio, Elegia di Madonna
    Fiammetta, illuminated by Attavante degli
    Attavanti, Italy, Florence, c. 1480
  31. Book of hours for the use of Rome, Italy,
    Sicily or Naples, c. 1480-90
  32. Olivier de la Marche, Le chevalier délibéré and
    other texts, Flanders, c. 1484
  33. Prayerbook in German, Germany, Nuremberg,
    c. 1495-1500
  34. Fencing treatise with pen-and-ink drawings,
    southern Germany,Augsburg, c. 1490-1500
  35. Book of hours for the use of Paris in Latin
    and French, illuminated by an artist from the
    circle of Jean Pichore, France, Paris, c. 1500
  36. Passion prayerbook in Latin with a prayer for
    the Church of All Saints in Wittenberg, Flanders,
    Bruges, after 1517
  37. Diploma for Statilio Paolino on his award of a
    doctorate in law from the University of
    Perugia, Italy, Perugia, dated 29 October 1582
  38. Album with Italian, mainly Venetian, costumes and
    characters from the Commedia dell’Arte, Italy,
    Venice?, first quarter of the 17th century

    Miniatures

  39. Funeral mass for a dignitary, miniature from a
    breviary, France,Avignon, c. 1340-45 128
  40. A pope distributing the decretals, miniature from
    a manuscript of canon law, France, Languedoc,
    c. 1320
  41. The Adoration of the Magi, historiated initial ‘D’
    on a leaf from a missal, Italy, Siena, c. 1400-10
  42. Two martyr saints, historiated initial ‘P’ on a leaf
    from a gradual for Lucca Cathedral, illuminated by
    Martino di Bartolomeo. Italy, Lucca, c. 1394-95
  43. Investiture of St Clare on a cutting from a
    Franciscan antiphonary, Italy, Bologna or Veneto,
    c. 1430-40
  44. Trinity, historiated initial ‘G’ on a cutting from
    a choirbook, France, Savoy, c. 1450 138
  45. King David playing the psaltery, historiated
    initial ‘E’ on a leaf from a psalter, illuminated by
    Jacopo da Balsemo, Italy, Bergamo, c. 1450-55
  46. The Creation of Eve, historiated initial ‘I’ on a
    cutting from a choirbook, illuminated by
    Bonifacio Bembo, Italy, Lombardy, c. 1445
  47. Jesaia before the Almighty, historiated initial ‘A’
    on a leaf from an antiphonary, illuminated by
    a follower of the Maestro delle Vitae Imperatorum,
    Italy, Lombardy, c. 1460
  48. Batsheba bathing, miniature from the Hours of
    Guyot II Le Peley, illuminated by Jean Colombe,
    France, Bourges, c. 1480
  49. The miracle of St Michael on Mount Gargano,
    miniature from a choirbook, illuminated by
    Attavante degli Attavanti, Italy, Florence,
    between 1473 and 1502
  50. Christ taking leave of his mother, miniature
    mounted on wood, illuminated by Jacopo del
    Giallo?, Italy, Rome, c. 1540

    Key to bibliographical references

The most lavishly illuminated manuscript known by the Master of Pommersfelden 351

15 Book of hours, use of Toul

Manuscript on vellum, illuminated by the Master of Pommersfelden 351.
France,Toul or Metz, c. 1435-40.

192 x 133 mm. 222 leaves, complete, inclusive of flyleaves: I-XXVII8, XXVIII6, remnants of vertical catchwords in a fine bastard script survive in some places. – Written space: 103 x 66 mm, 15 lines, calendar: 17 lines to the page, written space: 112 x 89 mm, ruled in black.Written in a Textualis in black ink, versal initials stroked in yellow, one-line initials with fleuronnée, two- to four-line initials with ivyleaf decoration. – 12 vignettes for the calendar, 18 miniatures within full borders with decoration consisting of acanthus leaves and flowers. – Overall good condition, wear resulting from devotional kisses or tears testifying to a pious owner. – 16th-century French binding, brown calf, simple blind and gold-tooled fillets and oval centrepieces reminiscent of the Fanfare style, gilt edges. Spine and corners carefully restored. In a modern book case.

PROVENANCE: 1.The book was probably commissioned for a woman, who is depicted on fol. 90v. 2. Notes of ownership relating to the Tertiary Order of St Francis in Nancy written in a baroque hand on fol. 1, 11v, 24 and 223. 3. Private collection Europe.

TEXT: fol. 1-4: Prayers, including the beginning of the Gospel of St John; fol. 3: Prayers for travelling – fol. 4v: Hours of the Holy Cross – fol. 12: Calendar (October left unfinished) – fol. 25: Office of the Virgin – fol. 81: Prayers to be recited in various situations throughout the day – fol. 90v/91: Mass for the Virgin and Suffrage to St Claudius – fol. 94v/95: Penitential Psalms – fol. 107: Litany – fol. 115: Office of the Dead – fol. 155: Prayers to the Lord and the Virgin; suffrages and prayers to individual saints. The saints in the calendar, litany and suffrages point to the diocese of Toul (Lorraine). Patrons of Metz are missing.The choice of prayers seems to adhere to traditions preceding the standardizations brought about in Paris around 1410/20. Another interesting feature is the position of the Hours of the Cross at the beginning of the volume.This can be found also in some English books of hours, such as Cod. Pal. Lat. 537 of the Biblioteca Vaticana (Plotzek 1992).

ILLUMINATION: fol. 4v: Christ on the Mount of Olives and Arrest of Christ – fol. 5v: Christ before Annas – fol. 6v: Pilate ordering the flagellation of Christ – fol. 7v: Bearing of the Cross with a procession extending into the borders – fol. 8v: Christ being nailed onto the cross – fol. 9v: Nocturnal scene: Longinus piercing Christ’s flank – fol. 10v: Entombment of Christ – fol. 12-24: 12 small miniatures showing the labours of the months – fol. 25:Annunciation – fol. 35:Visitation – fol. 46: Nativity – fol. 43v: Annunciation to the Shepherds - fol. 58: Adoration of the Magi – fol. 62: Presentation – fol. 67: Arrival of the Holy Family in Egypt, bas-de-page: Massacre of the Innocents – fol. 75v: Dormition of the Virgin – fol. 90v:Virgin with St Barbara and Katherine and a lady in prayer – fol. 94v: David in Penitence – fol. 115: Encounter with death, bas-de-page: funeral rites. The miniature cycle contains numerous surprising depictions which upset well-known iconographic conventions. In particular, the narrative elements which the illuminator adds to many of his miniatures are remarkable. The Bearing of the Cross is enlivened by a procession scene breaking through the margin of the miniature and linking it with the bas-de-page. One of the most fascinating achievements, however, is the last miniature which shows a unique version of the popular theme of the encounter between the three living and the dead, where the three skeletons face a party consisting of representatives of all social orders, thus enlarging the scene to something like an abbreviation of the Danse macabre. The hand of the illuminator can also be perceived in another book of hours for the use of Toul, Hs. 351 of the Schlossbibliothek of Pommersfelden (Plotzek 1987; Kahsnitz 1989). Plotzek distinguished a marked German influence despite the general indebtedness of the artist to French illumination and perceived a close affinity with the miniatures of another – now unfortunately dismembered - book of hours from the same region (Sotheby’s, 24 June 1986, lot 105). In his examination of the œuvre of Henri d’Orquevaulz, the dominant figure of manuscript illumination in Metz during the second third of the 15th century, François Avril discovered two further miniatures which could be attributed to our illuminator in a lectionary (Epinal ms. 265) illuminated by several regional artists (exh. cat. Metz 1989, pp. 69-80). In contrast to Henri d’Orquevaulz, whose well-established œuvre characterizes him as an artist who was greatly influenced by stylistic innovations brought about in the regions of the Upper and Lower Rhine, French elements remain predominant in the works of our artist. The proportions of the figures are determined by their respective importance, with the result that protagonists acting in the background are often taller than ancillary figures in the foreground.The upsetting of such compositional rules which had been established at least since the generation following the Duke of Berry (d. 1416) links the miniatures at issue with the works of another important artist of the time, the Master of the Grandes Heures de Rohan, whose œuvre, however, is of an altogether distinct nature stylistically. Of the illuminations here ascribed to our artist the book of hours under discussion is the most luxurious specimen. Especially noteworthy is the rich use of burnished gold and silver in the miniatures as well as the border decoration.The singular character of the illumination, the highly idiosyncratic style and the independence from contemporary figures such as Henri d’Orquevaulz and the Rohan Master make it difficult to date the manuscript. The finely drawn figures with their small heads, the artist’s rendering of landscape by piling up horizontal planes one onto another without concerning himself with spatial depth and the delight he takes in narrative accessory scenes suggest a date of around 1435.

LITERATURE: The manuscript is hitherto unpublished. Sales cat. Sotheby’s 24 June, lot 105; Plotzek 1987, no. 26, pp. 122-24; exh. cat. Metz 1989, pp. 69-80; Kahsnitz 1989, no. 370, pp. 484-86; Plotzek 1992.