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 last flowering of French manuscript painting represented by an exceptionally lavishly illuminated book of hours in excellent condition

35 Book of hours, use of Paris, in Latin and French

Manuscript on vellum, illuminated by an artist from the circle of Jean Pichore. France, Paris, c. 1500.

177 x 120 mm. 175 leaves, complete: I-II6, III-XXII8, XXIII4-1 (last blank leaf missing) not foliated, occasional catchwords. – Written space: 85 x 90 mm, single column, 18 lines, regular Textualis by the hand of one scribe.The incipits are marked by one- or two-line gold initials. All text pages are decorated by one-sided bar borders. – 56 miniatures: 24 calendar illustrations, 12 smaller miniatures 8 lines high, 17 extending to 4 lines of text with full borders of blue and gold acanthus and variously shaped panels with semi-naturalistic flowers, foliage and fruit, 3 full-page miniatures. – In very fine fresh condition throughout. – 16th-century gold-tooled leather binding over wooden boards, the covers framed by triple gilt fillets, foliage tools in the corners and oval medaillons at the centre of the covers rendering the Crucifixion and the Annunciation. The names C. Pelee and C. Chaperon in gilt letters on the front and the back cover. Pastedowns attached to the front and back cover, 5 flyleaves at the beginning and 3 flyleaves at the end. Edges gilt (old). In a modern leather fall-down-back box.

PROVENANCE: 1. The lettering on the covers as well as the entries on the front and back vellum endpapers refer to the Pelee de Valencourt and the Chaperon families as former owners.The entries of ownership start in 1646 and are continued in 1701 and 1736. On the first flyleaf at the back family records are noted down by a 17th-century hand. 2. Private collection France

TEXT: fol. 1-12v: Calendar – fol. 13-20: Gospel lessons – fol. 20v-24:“Obsecro te” – fol. 24v-27:“O intemerata” – fol. 28-87v: Office of the Virgin – fol. 88-93v: Hours of the Cross – fol. 94-98v: Hours of the Holy Spirit – fol. 99: Blank – fol. 100-116v: Penitential psalms – fol. 112: Litany – fol. 117-158: Office of the Dead – fol. 158v-167: Doulce dame and Doulx dieu – fol. 167v-174v: Suffrages to the saints – fol. 175: Entries of ownership (17th century).

ILLUMINATION: fol. 1-12v: 24 calendar miniatures of the labours of the month on rectos and the signs of the zodiac on versos incorporated into borders – fol. 13: St John – fol. 15: St Luke – fol. 17: St Matthew – fol. 19: St Mark – fol. 20v: Virgin and Child with angels – fol. 24v: Pietà – fol. 27v: Annunciation – fol. 49v: Visitation – fol. 60: Nativity – fol. 65v: Annunciation to the Shepherds – fol. 69v: Adoration of the Magi – fol. 73: Circumcision – fol. 77: Flight into Egypt – fol. 83: Coronation of the Virgin – fol. 88: Crucifixion – fol. 94: Pentecost – fol. 99v: David and Batsheba – fol. 116v: Job and his companions – fol. 158v:Virgin and Child – fol. 164: Trinity – Smaller miniatures: fol. 167v: Trinity – fol. 168: St Michael – fol. 168v: St John the Baptist – fol. 169: St John the Evangelist – fol. 169v: St Peter and Paul – fol. 170: St Jacob – fol. 171: St Nicholas – fol. 171v: St Anna – fol. 172: St Mary Magdalen – fol. 172v: St Katherine – fol. 173: St Barbara – fol. 174: St Geneviève. The illumination is of excellent painterly quality and can be attributed to the circle of Jean Pichore. Former research referred to the workshop of Pichore as school of Rouen (Ritter/Lafond 1913) and based this localization on the patronage of cardinal Georges d’Amboise in Rouen, adviser to Louis XII. In the meantime two distinct stylistic trends have been identified, springing from two manuscripts that set the pattern for the workshop’s ensuing production: Petrarch’s Triomphes (Paris, BN, fr. 594) and a book of hours in the Pierpont Morgan Library in New York (M 85).The rediscovery of documents known in the 19th century but then forgotten resulted in a relocalization of the workshop to Paris. Pichore was active as a miniaturist and publisher of books of hours and also worked in the graphic arts. An extensive œuvre can be ascribed to himself and his large and prolific atelier. The identification of the various manuscript painters associated with this workshop and the distinction of their respective artistic temperaments is still a subject of research. The painter of the present book of hours contributed to the Chants royaux du Puy Notre-Dame d´Amiens (Paris,BN, fr. 145) produced in 1518 for Louise de Savoie.The rendering of the Chant royal d’ Antoine Luvel (fol. 45v) is by the hand of our painter (Blum/Lauer 1930, p. 95). In contrast to Pichore, who often painted in an expressive manner and with broad brush strokes, the work of the present miniaturist is more refined and restrained. He prefers robes made of thick fabric which slows down the movement. His figure style is concentrated on calmness and the clarity of gesture. The miniaturist clearly emphasizes the significance of the figures that are depicted larger in proportion to the objects surrounding them. Space, surroundings and background are rendered in detail, but the setting of the scenes should not distract too much from the figures. This aspect becomes especially apparent in the miniature of Job and his friends (fol. 116), which also differs in some respects from the others. The frame laid around the miniature with its ivyleaf tendrils on highly burnished gold ground constitutes an archaic element. The Annunciation (fol. 27v) relates closely to the miniature of the Petites Heures d’Anne de Bretagne (Paris, BN, n. a. lat. 3027, fol. 14). Both Annunciation miniatures derive from the miniature of the same subject in the Hours of the Margrave Christopher of Baden (fol. 19), which, on the basis of its calendar, was produced after 1491 and is therefore one of the earliest known works by Pichore (König 1970). The rendering in the Petites Heures is probably by the hand of the Master of Petrarch’s Triumphs or by Pichore himself. The painter of the present manuscript is capable of displaying the wide range of modes of expression that were developed within the workshop of Pichore. Contrary to his master he convinces by a clear pictorial language and a refined colouring.This sense of preciousness and elaborate execution add to the appeal and charm of this manuscript, in which miniatures, border decoration and script supplement each other in a harmonious way.

LITERATURE: The manuscript is hitherto unpublished. Blum/Lauer 1930; König 1970; Plummer 1982; König 1992; Avril/Reynaud 1993; Zöhl 2004.